Computer device configured to provide computer game and method

ABSTRACT

A computer device provides a computer implemented game. The user interface of the computer device receives a first user input to control the movement of a game entity along a path in the computer game. The computer device determines, based on the first user input which is associated with a default movement of the game entity along the path and information about at first and second obstacles on the path, that the game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of the default movement. This is to allow both the first and second obstacles to be navigated in response to the first user input such that the game entity continues to move along the path.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/113,891,filed on Dec. 7, 2020, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 17/020,180, filed on Sep. 14, 2020, which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/013,176, filed onApr. 21, 2020, the entire contents of each of which being fullyincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of this application relate to a computer device configuredto allow a user to play a computer implemented game.

Some embodiments may relate to providing a computer device which isconfigured to provide a computer implemented game which is engaging tousers or players.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of computer-implemented games, there are many technicalchallenges facing the designer such that a computer device is configuredto provide such games. For example, there may be considerations relatingto how, for example, the user interface of the computer device is to becontrolled when a user is playing a computer implemented game.

One technical challenge relates to the configuring of the computerdevice to allow a computer implemented game to be fun and compellingeven when there is limited display resource available. This may be aparticular technical challenge when the computer implemented game isbeing played on a smartphone, tablet, or other minicomputer.

Another significant challenge relates to the configuring of computerdevice to provide a computer implemented which is engaging to the user.Engagement involves configuring the computer device to provide acomputer implemented game with gameplay which is engaging and rewardingto players. This typically requires a computer device to be configuredto provide a computer implemented game which is easily understood at itssimplest or introductory levels, providing rewarding gameplay with quitesimple game mechanics, but becoming progressively more challenging sothat players are not bored, but remain engaged and develop rewardingskills. Effective engagement requires that the computer device beconfigured to provide various forms of feedback to reinforce playersense of success and accomplishment.

Runner games are a popular genre of games. Such game may be played on avariety of different computer device platforms. Endless runner games area genre of games where a player has control over a character that isconstantly moving forward.

Some runner games may be played on a mobile device such as a smart phoneor tablet. However, it should be appreciated that some runner games maybe played on other platforms such as desktop or lap top computer devicesor console devices.

There are technical challenges in configuring a computer device toprovide a computer implemented game with complexity in the game playparticularly where the computer device has a limited available userinterface and screen. The user interface and screen may be provided by acommon touch screen.

It is a technical challenge configuring a computer device to provide acomputer implemented game which provides continued user engagement toretain a player for a long period of time. Some runner games have lowretention due to low continued user engagement. Known runner games tendto start easy but then become harder, typically too hard for someplayers.

This patent specification describes not only various ideas andfunctions, but also their creative expression. A portion of thedisclosure of this patent document therefore contains material to whicha claim for copyright is made and notice is hereby given: CopyrightKing.com Limited 2020 (pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 401). A claim to copyrightprotection is made to all screen shots, icons, look and feel and allother protectable expression associated with the games illustrated anddescribed in this patent specification.

The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction byanyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears inthe Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves allother copyright rights whatsoever. No express or implied license underany copyright whatsoever is therefore granted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a user interface configured to receive a first user input tocontrol movement of a game entity to move along a path in the computerimplemented game; at least one memory configured to store informationabout one or more obstacles in the path of the computer implementedgame; at least one processor configured to determine, based on the firstreceived user input which is associated with a default movement of thegame entity and information about at least one of a first and a secondobstacle on the path, that the game entity is to move with an extendedmovement instead of the default movement to allow both the first andsecond obstacles to be navigated in response to the first user inputsuch that the game entity continues to move along the path, the firstobstacle being followed by the second obstacle on the path; and adisplay configured to display the game entity moving along the path withthe extended movement determined by the at least one processor.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that acriteria is satisfied based on the first received user input and theinformation about at least one of the first and the second obstacle onthe path, and when the criteria is satisfied the at least one processormay be configured to cause the game entity to move with the extendedmovement.

The default movement and the extended movement may be the same type ofmovement.

The default movement may comprise a type of movement for a first lengthof time.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to extend a time for which the default movement is performedfrom the first length of time to a second length of time to provide theextended movement.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to extend a time for which the default movement is performedfrom the first length of time to a second length of time to provide theextended movement, when the criteria is satisfied.

The default movement may comprise a type of movement for a firstdistance.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to extend a distance for which the default movement isperformed from the first distance to a second distance to provide theextended movement.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to extend a distance for which the default movement isperformed from the first distance to a second distance to provide theextended movement when the criteria is satisfied.

The default movement may comprise a first movement and the modifieddefault movement may comprise a second, different movement.

The first obstacle may be followed by a second obstacle in the path, thefirst user input being provided to navigate a first obstacle.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that the gameentity is to move with the extended movement when the second obstacle iswithin a threshold distance of the first obstacle.

The criteria may comprise the second obstacle being within a thresholddistance of the first obstacle.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine from the firstreceived user input a start of the default movement and when the firstobstacle is encountered by the game entity moving with the defaultmovement, when determining that the game entity is to move with theextended movement.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a remainingpart of the default movement, the remaining part of the default movementbeing a part of the movement after the first obstacle is encountered bythe game entity moving with the default movement, the at least oneprocessor being configured use the determined remaining part whendetermining that the game entity is to move with the extended movement.

The at least one processor is configured to determine that the gameentity is to move with an extended movement instead of the defaultmovement when there is less than a threshold amount remaining amount ofthe default movement.

The criteria may comprise that there is less than a threshold amountremaining amount of the default movement.

The at least one processor is configured to determine that the gameentity is to move with an extended movement instead of the defaultmovement when there is less than a threshold amount remaining amount ofthe default movement and the second obstacle is within a thresholddistance.

The criteria may comprise that there is less than a threshold amountremaining amount of the default movement and the second obstacle iswithin a threshold distance.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine if the defaultmovement would cause the game entity to fail to navigate the secondobstacle and when it is determined that the game entity would fail tonavigate the second obstacle, the at least processor may determine thatthe game entity is to move with the extended movement.

The criteria may comprise the default movement causing the game entityto fail to navigate the second obstacle.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that the gameentity is to slide in response to the first received user input.

The game entity may comprise a character.

The computer implemented game may comprise a runner game.

The computer implemented game may comprise a runner game with resourcemanagement.

The default movement may be to remove, navigate around, navigate over,navigated through, or navigate under the first obstacle.

The user interface and the display may be provided by a touch screen.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod provided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the computer device comprising a user interface, atlast one processor, a display and at least one memory which areconfigured to provide the method which comprise: receiving a first userinput, via the user interface of the computer device, to controlmovement of a game entity to move along a path in the computerimplemented game; storing, by the at least one memory of the computerdevice, information about one or more obstacles in the path of thecomputer implemented game; determining, by the at least one processor ofthe computer device, based on the first received user input which isassociated with a default movement of the game entity and informationabout at least one of a first and a second obstacle on the path, thatthe game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of thedefault movement to allow both the first and second obstacles to benavigated in response to the first user input such that the game entitycontinues to move along the path, the first obstacle being followed bythe second obstacle on the path; and displaying, by the display, thegame entity moving along the path with the extended movement determinedby the at least one processor.

The method may comprise determining that a criteria is satisfied basedon the first received user input and the information about at least oneof the first and the second obstacle on the path, and when the criteriais satisfied causing the game entity to move with the extended movement.

The default movement and the extended movement may be the same type ofmovement.

The default movement may comprise a type of movement for a first lengthof time.

The method may comprise modifying, by the at least one processor, thedefault movement to extend a time for which the default movement isperformed from the first length of time to a second length of time toprovide the extended movement.

The method may comprise modifying, by the at least one processor, thedefault movement to extend a time for which the default movement isperformed from the first length of time to a second length of time toprovide the extended movement, when the criteria is satisfied.

The default movement may comprise a type of movement for a firstdistance.

The method may comprise modifying, by the at least one processor, thedefault movement to extend a distance for which the default movement isperformed from the first distance to a second distance to provide theextended movement.

The method may comprise modifying, by the at least one processor, thedefault movement to extend a distance for which the default movement isperformed from the first distance to a second distance to provide theextended movement, when the criteria is satisfied.

The default movement may comprise a first movement and the modifieddefault movement may comprise a second, different movement.

The first obstacle may be followed by a second obstacle in the path, thefirst user input being provided to navigate a first obstacle.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe game entity is to move with the extended movement when the secondobstacle is within a threshold distance of the first obstacle.

The criteria may comprise the second obstacle being within a thresholddistance of the first obstacle.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, fromthe first received user input when a default movement begins and whenthe first obstacle is encountered by the game entity as the informationabout at least of the first and second obstacle.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, fromwhen a default movement begins and when the first obstacle isencountered by the game entity, a remaining amount of the defaultmovement.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of thedefault movement when there is less than a threshold amount remainingamount of the default movement.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of thedefault movement when there is less than a threshold amount remainingamount of the default movement and the second obstacle is within athreshold distance.

The criteria may comprise that there is less than a threshold amountremaining amount of the default movement and/or that that secondobstacle is within the threshold distance.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, ifthe default movement would cause the game entity to fail to navigate thesecond obstacle and when it is determined that the game entity wouldfail to navigate the second obstacle, the at least processor maydetermine that the game entity is to move with the extended movement.

The criteria may comprise the default movement causing the game entityto fail to navigate the second obstacle.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe game entity is to slide in response to the first received userinput.

The game entity may comprise a character.

The computer implemented game may comprise a runner game.

The computer implemented game may comprise a runner game with resourcemanagement.

The default movement may be to remove, navigate around, navigate over,navigated through, or navigate under the first obstacle.

The user interface and the display may be provided by a touch screen.

The method may comprise storing, by at least one memory of the computerdevice, information about the first and second obstacles.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer device configuredto provide a computer implemented game, the computer device comprising:a user interface configured to receive user input to control movement ofa first game entity in a run with one or more second game entities ofthe computer implemented game; at least one processor configured tocontrol movement of the one or more second game entities in the runindependently of user input and the movement of the first game entity inresponse to user input; and a display configured to display the firstgame entity moving in the run of the computer implemented game with theone or more second game entities, wherein the at least one processorconfigured to: determine an end of the run responsive to the firstentity satisfying one or more fail conditions; in response todetermining the end of the run, determining which of the first and theone or more second entities have satisfied one or more fail conditions;determine a placing of the first entity for the run in dependence onwhich of the first and the one or more second entities have beendetermined to have satisfied one or more fail conditions; determine afirst score for the first game entity in dependence on the placing ofthe first entity for the run; and cause the display to displayinformation indicating the first score for the first entity and theplacing of the first entity at the end of the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine the end of therun responsive to determining that one or more second entities hassatisfied one or more fail conditions.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine the placing ofthe first entity for the run using information associated with one ormore second entities indicating that the respective second entity hasnot satisfied a respective fail condition before the end of the run

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a placing forthe first entity in dependence on a number of second entities whichsatisfied the one or more fail conditions prior to the end of the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that the firstentity has satisfied an initial first fail condition and in response tocause the display to display information about one or more continueoptions which when selected allow the first entity to continue to run inthe run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that userinput has been received via the user interface selecting one or more ofthe continue options and in response, the at least one processor isconfigured to cause the first entity to run in the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to pause the run inresponse to determining that the first entity has satisfied the initialfirst fail condition.

The at least one processor may be configured, in response to selectingof one or more of the continue options by user input received via theuser interface, to cause the run to be restarted at a position in therun, dependent on a position at which the run was paused.

The run may comprise a plurality of segments and the at least oneprocessor may be configured to determine in which one of the pluralityof segments the initial first fail condition occurred and to cause thefirst entity to continue to run in the run starting at a beginning ofthe determined segment in which the initial first fail conditionoccurred.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a run scorefor the first entity in dependence on at least one of a distance run bythe first entity in the run and a length of time run by the first entityin the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information associated with the determined run score.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine the firstscore for the first game entity further in dependence on the run scoreof the first entity in the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a run scorefor the first entity in dependence on one or more parameters associatedwith the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a run scorefor each of the first entity and the one or more second entities independence on at least one of a distance run by the respective entity inthe run and a length of time run by the respective entity in the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information associated with the determined run score for each ofthe first entity and the one or more second entities.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine a team scorecontribution provided by the first game entity in dependence on a scoreof the first game entity.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a team score for a team associated with the first game entityand a team score for at least one other team.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the first andsecond entities to collect resources whilst the first and secondentities move in the run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a plurality of resources in the run and to determine if one ofthe first and second entities has collected a respective resource by themovement of the respective game entity.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod provided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: receiving, by a user interfaceof the computer device, user input to control movement of a first gameentity in a run with one or more second game entities of the computerimplemented game; controlling, by at least one processor of the computerdevice, movement of the one or more second game entities in the runindependently of user input and the movement of the first game entity inresponse to user input; displaying, by a display of the computer device,the first game entity moving in the run of the computer implemented gamewith the one or more second game entities; determining, by the at leastone processor, an end of the run responsive to the first entitysatisfying one or more fail conditions; in response to determining theend of the run, determining by the at least one processor, which of thefirst and the one or more second entities have satisfied one or morefail conditions; determining, by the at least one processor, a placingof the first entity for the run in dependence on which of the first andthe one or more second entities have been determined to have satisfiedone or more fail conditions; determining, by the at least one processor,a first score for the first game entity in dependence on the placing ofthe first entity for the run; and causing, by the at least oneprocessor, the display to display information indicating the first scorefor the first entity and the placing of the first entity at the end ofthe run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, theend of the run responsive to determining that one or more secondentities has satisfied one or more fail conditions.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, theplacing of the first entity for the run using information associatedwith one or more second entities indicating that the respective secondentity has not satisfied a respective fail condition before the end ofthe run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, aplacing for the first entity in dependence on a number of secondentities which satisfied the one or more fail conditions prior to theend of the run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe first entity has satisfied an initial first fail condition and inresponse causing the display to display information about one or morecontinue options which when selected allow the first entity to continueto run in the run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatuser input has been received via the user interface selecting one ormore of the continue options and in response, the causing the firstentity to run in the run.

The method may comprise pausing, by the at least one processor, the runin response to determining that the first entity has satisfied theinitial first fail condition.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, inresponse to selecting of one or more of the continue options by userinput received via the user interface, the run to be restarted at aposition in the run, dependent on a position at which the run waspaused.

The run may comprise a plurality of segments and the method may comprisedetermining, by the at least one processor, in which one of theplurality of segments the initial first fail condition occurred andcausing the first entity to continue to run in the run starting at abeginning of the determined segment in which the initial first failcondition occurred.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, arun score for the first entity in dependence on at least one of adistance run by the first entity in the run and a length of time run bythe first entity in the run.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information associated with the determined run score.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thefirst score for the first game entity further in dependence on the runscore of the first entity in the run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, arun score for the first entity in dependence on one or more parametersassociated with the run.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, arun score for each of the first entity and the one or more secondentities in dependence on at least one of a distance run by therespective entity in the run and a length of time run by the respectiveentity in the run.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information associated with the determined run scorefor each of the first entity and the one or more second entities.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, ateam score contribution provided by the first game entity in dependenceon a score of the first game entity.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display a team score for a team associated with the firstgame entity and a team score for at least one other team.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thefirst and second entities to collect resources whilst the first andsecond entities move in the run.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display a plurality of resources in the run and to determineif one of the first and second entities has collected a respectiveresource by the movement of the respective game entity.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a user interface configured to receive user input to controlmovement of a first game entity in a run with one or more second gameentities of the computer implemented game; at least one processorconfigured to control movement the one or more second game entities inthe run independently of user input and the movement of the first gameentity in response to user input, a display configured to display thefirst game entity moving in the run of the computer implemented gamewith the one or more second game entities; wherein the at least oneprocessor configured to: determine an end of the run responsive to thefirst entity satisfying one or more fail conditions; in response todetermining the end of the run, determining whether or not one or moresecond entities have satisfied one or more fail conditions; determine aplacing of the first entity for the run in dependence on a number of theone of second entities determined to have satisfied one or more failconditions; determine a score for the first game entity in dependence onthe placing of the first entity for the run and on the distance run bythe first game entity in the run; and causing the display to displayinformation indicating the placing of the first entity at the end of therun.

According to one aspect, there is provided a computer device configuredto provide a computer implemented game, the computer device comprising:a user interface configured to receive user input to control movement ofa game entity in a collection run of the computer implemented game, thecollection run for collecting resources; a display configured to displaythe game entity moving in response to the user input in the collectionrun of the computer implemented game; at least one processor configuredto determine in response to the received user input one or moreresources collected by the movement of game entity in the collectionrun; wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine thatone or more required resources have been collected and to receive afurther user input via the user interface to use the one or morerequired resources, and in response to the further user input provideone or more further items for the computer implemented game.

The at one or more further items may be used in a subsequent collectionrun.

The one or more subsequent collection runs may comprise a battle run

The at least one processor may be configured to provide the one or morefurther items after a predetermined time.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide the one or morefurther items a predetermined time after the further user input.

The at least one processor may be configured to start a timer inresponse to the further user input and to provide the one or morefurther items in response to determining that the timer has expired.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide a battle optionfor the game entity.

The battle option may comprise an enemy for the at least one game entityto battle.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide the battleoption in the collection run.

The battle option may be provided at an endpoint of the collection run.

A plurality of different battle options may be provided in the computerimplemented game and, the at least one processor may be configured toprovide one of the plurality of different battle options in response touser input received via the user interface.

In response to user input received via the user interface, the at leastone processor may be configured to provide one or more of the furtheritems for the game entity to use in the battle option

The computer implemented game may comprise a further item area differentfrom the collection run and the at least one processor may be configuredto cause the further item area to be displayed on the display.

The collection run may comprise one or more exit points and the at leastone processor may be configured to determine when the game entity hasreached one of the one or more exit points and in response cause thefurther item area to be displayed.

The collection run may comprise one or more exit points and the at leastone processor may be configured to determine when the game entity hasreached one of the one or more exit points and in response cause thefurther item area to be accessible.

The further item area may comprise a base.

The further item area may comprise one or more item creating entities,wherein in response to selection of an item creating entity by userinput received via the user interface, the at least one processor may beconfigured to cause one or more options associated with the selecteditem creating entity to be displayed on the display.

The at least one processor may be configured, for a selected itemcreating entity and in response to selection of one or more collectedresources and/or one or more items made by one or more item creatingentities, to provide one or more further items.

The at least one processor may be configured to in response to userinput cause at least one item creating entity to be one of upgraded,created, or unlocked.

The computer implemented game may comprise a further item area differentfrom the collection run, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the further item area to be displayed and in response to thefurther user input received via the user interface selecting one or moreof the given collected resources to cause one or more intermediate itemsto be provided.

When the further item area is displayed, the at least one processor maybe configured to cause one or more further items to be provided inresponse to user input received via the user interface selecting one ormore of: one or more the given collected resources and one or moreintermediate items.

The at least one processor may be configured, in response to user inputreceived via the user interface selecting one or more of the givencollected resources to cause one or more further items to be provided.

The one or more further items may comprise one or more of a weapon andammunition.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod provided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: receiving via a user interfaceof the computer device, user input to control movement of a game entityin a collection run of the computer implemented game, the collection runfor collecting resources; displaying on a display of the computer devicethe game entity moving in response to the user input in the collectionrun of the computer implemented game; determining, by at least oneprocessor of the computer device, in response to the received user inputone or more resources collected by the movement of game entity in thecollection run; determining by the at least one processor that one ormore required resources have been collected; receiving a further userinput via the user interface to use the one or more required resources;and in response to the further user input providing by the at least oneprocessor one or more further items for the computer implemented game.

The at one or more further items may be used in a subsequent collectionrun.

The one or more subsequent collection runs may comprise a battle run

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, theone or more further items after a predetermined time.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, theone or more further items a predetermined time after the further userinput.

The method may comprise starting, by the at least one processor, a timerin response to the further user input and providing the one or morefurther items in response to determining that the timer has expired.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, abattle option for the game entity.

The battle option may comprise an enemy for the at least one game entityto battle.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, thebattle option in the collection run.

The battle option may be provided at an endpoint of the collection run.

The method may comprise providing, a plurality of different battleoptions in the computer implemented game and providing, by the at leastone processor, one of the plurality of different battle options inresponse to user input received via the user interface.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, inresponse to user input received via the user interface one or more ofthe further items for the game entity to use in the battle option

The method may comprise providing in the computer implemented game afurther item area different from the collection run and causing, by theat least one processor, the display to display the further item area onthe display.

The collection run may comprise one or more exit points and the methodmay comprise determining, by the at least one processor, when the gameentity has reached one of the one or more exit points and in responsecausing the display to display the further item area.

The collection run may comprise one or more exit points and the methodmay comprise determining, by the at least one processor, when the gameentity has reached one of the one or more exit points and in responsecausing the further item area to be accessible.

The further item area may comprise a base.

The further item area may comprise one or more item creating entities,and the method may comprising causing, by the at least one processor, inresponse to selection of an item creating entity by user input receivedvia the user interface, one or more options associated with the selecteditem creating entity to be displayed on the display.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, for aselected item creating entity and in response to selection of one ormore collected resources and/or one or more items made by one or moreitem creating entities, one or more further items.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, inresponse to user input at least one item creating entity to be one ofupgraded, created, or unlocked.

The at least one processor may be configured, in response to user inputreceived via the user interface selecting one or more of the givencollected resources to cause one or more further items to be provided.

The computer implemented game may comprise a further item area differentfrom the collection run and the method may comprise causing, by the atleast one processor, the further item area to be displayed on thedisplay and in response to the further user input received via the userinterface selecting one or more of the given collected resources causingone or more intermediate items to be provided.

When the further item area is displayed, the method may comprisecausing, by the at least one processor, one or more further items to beprovided in response to user input received via the user interfaceselecting one or more of: one or more the given collected resources andone or more intermediate items.

The one or more further items may comprise one or more of a weapon andammunition.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer device comprising:a display; at least one memory; at least one processor; and a userinterface, the at least one processor being configured to: cause thedisplay to display a character moving through a game environment in acollection run; in response to user input received via the userinterface controlling the character, determining one or more resourcescollected by the at least one character during the collection run; inresponse to user input causing one or more items to be created from atleast one or more resources; causing the display to display thecharacter moving through a game environment in a battle run; and inresponse to user input received via the user interface controlling thecharacter to use one or more of the one or more items to battle an enemyin the battle run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a base comprising one or more base entities.

The at least processor may be configured in response to user input causeat least one base entity to create one or more items.

The one or more items may comprise one or more of a weapon andammunition.

The at least one processor may be configured in response to user inputcause at least one base entity to be one of upgraded, created, orunlocked.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine if thecharacter has reached an exit point in the collection run and when thecharacter reaches the exit point, the character is taken to the base.

The at least one processor is configured to cause the display to displayan indication as to the location of the exit point.

The at least one processor is configured to determine if the enemy hasbeen defeated in the battle run, and if so providing one or morerewards.

The at least one processor is configured to provide the enemy at the endof a battle run.

The at least one processor is configured to provide at least one lockedpath in the collection run and in response to one or more user actionsdetermining that the path is unlocked.

The one or more user actions may comprise the user purchasing a key froma shop.

The shop may comprise a base entity.

The at least one processor may be configured, in response to user input,to use one or more of the rewards to upgrade one or more base entities.

The at least one processor may be configured to start a timer when thepath is unlocked and when the timer expires, the at least one processoris configured to cause the path to be locked again.

The at least one processor may be configured to display informationindicating when the path will be locked again.

The at least one processor may be configured to display informationindicating the remaining amount of time for which the path will beunlocked.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that one ormore resources on the locked path have been collected and in response tostart one or more reseed timers whereby a respective resource is onlyreplenished when a respective reseed timer has expired.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer devicecomprising: a display; at least one memory; at least one processor; anda user interface, the at least one processor being configured to: causethe display to display a character moving through a game environment ina collection run; in response to user input received via the userinterface controlling the character, determining one or more resourcescollected by the at least one character during the collection run; andin response to user input causing one or more items to be created fromat least one or more resources.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedcomprising: causing by at least one processor of a computer device, adisplay of the computer device display to display a character movingthrough a game environment in a collection run; in response to userinput received via a user interface of the computer device, controllingthe character, determining by the at least one processor, one or moreresources collected by the at least one character during the collectionrun; in response to user input received via the user interface, causingby the at least one processor, one or more items to be created from atleast one or more resources; causing by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display the character moving through a game environment in abattle run; and in response to user input received via the userinterface controlling by the at least one processor, the character touse one or more of the one or more items to battle an enemy in thebattle run.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display a base comprising one or more base entities.

In response to user input causing by the at least one processor, atleast one base entity to create one or more items.

The one or more items may comprise one or more of a weapon andammunition.

In response to user input causing by the at least one processor, leastone base entity to be one of upgraded, created, or unlocked.

The method may comprise determining by the at least one processor if thecharacter has reached an exit point in the collection run and when thecharacter reaches the exit point, the character is taken to the base.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processor thedisplay to display an indication as to the location of the exit point.

The method may comprise determining by the at least one processor if theenemy has been defeated in the battle run, and if so providing one ormore rewards.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processor the enemyto be provided at the end of a battle run.

The method may comprise providing by the at least one processor at leastone locked path in the collection run and in response to one or moreuser actions determining that the path is unlocked.

The one or more user actions may comprise the user purchasing a key froma shop.

The shop may comprise a base entity.

The method may comprise, in response to user input, using by the atleast one processor one or more of the rewards to upgrade one or morebase entities.

The method may comprise starting by the at least one processor a timerwhen the path is unlocked and when the timer expires, causing the pathto be locked again.

The method may comprise displaying information indicating when the pathwill be locked again.

The method may comprise displaying information indicating the remainingamount of time for which the path will be unlocked.

The method may comprise determining that one or more resources on thelocked path have been collected and in response starting one or morereseed timers whereby a respective resource is only replenished when arespective reseed timer has expired.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod comprising: causing by at least one processor of a computerdevice, a display of the computer device display to display a charactermoving through a game environment in a collection run; in response touser input received via a user interface of the computer device,controlling the character, determining by the at least one processor,one or more resources collected by the at least one character during thecollection run; and in response to user input received via the userinterface, causing by the at least one processor, one or more items tobe created from at least one or more resources.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a display configured to display a plurality of differentitem generating options of the computer implemented game; a userinterface configured to receive user input to select one of theplurality of different item generating options of the computerimplemented game; at least one processor configured to determine thatone or more resources required by the selected one of the plurality ofitem generating options to generate a respective item are unavailable,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determinewhich one or more of a plurality of collection runs has one or more ofthe unavailable resources.

The at least one processor may be further configured to causeinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed on the display.

The at least one processor may be further configured to causeinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game having one or more of the unavailable resources to bedisplayed on the display.

The at least one processor may be further configured to causeinformation only about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game having one or more of the unavailable resources.

The at least one processor may be further configured to causeinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed, the information indicating for arespective collection run resources which are available for collectionin the collection run.

The at least one processor may be further configured to causeinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed, the information indicating for arespective collection run if that collection run has one or more of theunavailable resources available for collection.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause information to bedisplayed on the display indicating which collection run provides one ormore of resources which are not available for the selected itemgenerating option.

The user interface may be configured to receive user input selecting oneof plurality of collection runs and in response, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause the display to display the selectedcollection run.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine which one ormore of the plurality of different item generating options of thecomputer implemented game are currently available for selection.

The display may be configured to display information indicating whichone or more of the plurality of different item generating options of thecomputer implemented game are currently available for selection.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine which one ormore of the plurality of collection runs of the computer implementedgame are currently available for selection.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause information aboutavailability for selection of one or more collection to be displayed bythe display.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide informationabout one or more collection run options in which the respectiveunavailable resources can be collected in response to selection of acollection run option received via the user interface.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating which one or more resources required bythe selected one of the plurality of item generating options isavailable.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating which one or more resources required bythe selected one of the plurality of item generating options isunavailable.

The user interface may be configured to receive user input tosubsequently select the one of the plurality of different itemgenerating options of the computer implemented game and the at least oneprocessor is configured to determine in response to the received userinput that the one or more resources required by the one of theplurality of item generating options are available and in response touser input cause one or more items associated with the selected one ofthe plurality of item generating options to be provided.

A plurality of sets of item generating options may be provided, each setcomprising a plurality of different item generating options.

The user interface may be configured to receive user input selecting oneof the sets of item generating options.

The computer implemented game may comprise a plurality of enemy optionsand in response to selection of one of the plurality of enemy options,the at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a user selectable option which when selected causes theplurality of different item generating options of the computerimplemented game to be displayed on the display.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod provided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: displaying by a display of thecomputer device a plurality of different item generating options of thecomputer implemented game; receiving user input via a user interface ofthe computer device to select one of the plurality of different itemgenerating options of the computer implemented game; determining by atleast one processor of the computer device that one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one of the plurality of item generating optionsto generate a respective item are unavailable; and determining by the atleast one processor which one or more of a plurality of collection runshas one or more of the unavailable resources.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed on the display.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game having one or more of the unavailable resources to bedisplayed on the display.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation only about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game having one or more of the unavailable resources to bedisplayed on the display.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed, the information indicating for arespective collection run resources which are available for collectionin the collection run.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation about one or more collection runs of the computerimplemented game to be displayed, the information indicating for arespective collection run if that collection run has one or more of theunavailable resources available for collection.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation to be displayed on the display indicating which collectionrun provides one or more of resources which are not available for theselected item generating option.

The method may comprise receiving via the user interface an inputselecting one of plurality of collection runs and in response, causingby the at least one processor the display to display the selectedcollection run.

The method may comprise determining by the at least one processor whichone or more of the plurality of different item generating options of thecomputer implemented game are currently available for selection.

The method may comprise displaying by the display information indicatingwhich one or more of the plurality of different item generating optionsof the computer implemented game are currently available for selection.

The method may comprise determining by the at least one processor whichone or more of the plurality of collection runs of the computerimplemented game are currently available for selection.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processorinformation about availability for selection of one or more collectionto be displayed by the display.

The method may comprise providing by the at least one processorinformation about one or more collection run options in which therespective unavailable resources can be collected in response toselection of a collection run option received via the user interface.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processor thedisplay to display information indicating which one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one of the plurality of item generating optionsis available.

The method may comprise causing by the at least one processor thedisplay to display information indicating which one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one of the plurality of item generating optionsis unavailable.

The method may comprise receiving via the user interface user input tosubsequently select the one of the plurality of different itemgenerating options of the computer implemented game, determining by theat least one processor in response to the received user input that theone or more resources required by the one of the plurality of itemgenerating options are available and in response to user input receivedvia the interface causing one or more items associated with the selectedone of the plurality of item generating options to be provided.

A plurality of sets of item generating options may be provided, each setcomprising a plurality of different item generating options.

The user interface may be configured to receive user input selecting oneof the sets of item generating options.

The computer implemented game may comprise a plurality of enemy optionsand the method comprises in response to selection of one of theplurality of enemy options via the user interface, causing by the atleast one processor to display on the display a user selectable optionwhich when selected causes the plurality of different item generatingoptions of the computer implemented game to be displayed on the display.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer device configuredto provide a computer implemented game, the computer device comprising:a display configured to display one or more item generating options ofthe computer implemented game; a user interface configured to receiveuser input to select one of the one or more item generating options ofthe computer implemented game; at least one processor configured todetermine if one or more resources required by the selected itemgenerating option to generate a respective item are available, whereinthe at least one processor is further configured to provide informationabout one or more collection runs of the computer implemented game inwhich resources can be collected and in response to user input receivedby the user interface selecting one of the one or more collection runs,the at least one processor is configured to cause the display to displaythe selected one of the one or more collection runs.

One or more item generating option may be associated with a timer, thetimer controlling when the respective item is generated.

The at least one processor may be configured to start the timer inresponse to determining that the one or more resources required by theselected item generating option are available.

The at least one processor may be configured to start the timer inresponse to user input received via the user interface selecting an itemgenerating option of the one or more item generating options when theone or more resources required by the selected item generating optionare available.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine when the timerexpires, and in response to provide the respective item.

The user interface may be configured to receive user input to controlmovement of a game entity in the selected one collection run of thecomputer implemented game, the display may be configured to display thegame entity moving in response to the user input in the selected onecollection run and at least one processor may be configured to determinein response to the received user input one or more resources collectedby the movement of game entity in the collection run.

The display may be configured to display information indicating whichone or more of the item generating options of the computer implementedgame are currently available for selection.

The display may be configured to display information about one or morecollection runs.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating which one or more resources are available forcollection in the respective collection run.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating which collection run provides one or more ofresources which are not available for the selected item generatingoption.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating if a collection run is available for selection.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation about one or more collection runs in which the respectiveunavailable resources can be collected in response to selection of acollection run option received via the user interface.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating which one or more resources required bythe selected one or more item generating options is available.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating which one or more resources required bythe selected one or more item generating options is unavailable.

The at least one processor is configured to determine in response to thereceived user input that the one or more resources required by theselected one of the item generating options are available and inresponse to cause an item associated with the selected one of the itemgenerating options to be provided.

A plurality of sets of item generating options may be provided, each setcomprising a plurality of different item generating options.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod provided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: displaying by a display of thecomputer device one or more item generating options of the computerimplemented game; receiving user input via a user interface of thecomputer device to select one of the one or more item generating optionsof the computer implemented game; determining by at least one processorof the computer device if one or more resources required by the selecteditem generating option to generate a respective item are available;providing, by the least one processor, information about one or morecollection runs of the computer implemented game in which resources canbe collected; and causing, by the at least one processor in response touser input received by the user interface selecting one of the one ormore collection runs, the display to display the selected one of the oneor more collection runs.

One or more item generating option may be associated with a timer, thetimer controlling when the respective item is generated.

The method may comprise starting by the at least one processor, thetimer in response to determining that the one or more resources requiredby the selected item generating option are available.

The method may comprise starting by the at least one processor, thetimer in response to user input received via the user interfaceselecting an item generating option of the one or more item generatingoptions when the one or more resources required by the selected itemgenerating option are available.

The method may comprise determining by the at least one processor, whenthe timer expires, and in response to provide the respective item.

The method may comprise receiving, via the user interface, user input tocontrol movement of a game entity in the selected one collection run ofthe computer implemented game, displaying on the display the game entitymoving in response to the user input in the selected one collection runand determining, by the at least one processor, in response to thereceived user input one or more resources collected by the movement ofgame entity in the collection run.

The method may comprise displaying, by the display informationindicating which one or more of the item generating options of thecomputer implemented game are currently available for selection.

The method may comprise displaying, by the display information about oneor more collection runs.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating which one or more resources are available forcollection in the respective collection run.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating which collection run provides one or more ofresources which are not available for the selected item generatingoption.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation indicating if a collection run is available for selection.

The information about one or more collection run may compriseinformation about one or more collection runs in which the respectiveunavailable resources can be collected in response to selection of acollection run option received via the user interface.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information indicating which one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one or more item generating options isavailable.

The method may comprise causing. by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information indicating which one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one or more item generating options isunavailable.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, inresponse to the received user input that the one or more resourcesrequired by the selected one of the item generating options areavailable and in response to cause an item associated with the selectedone of the item generating options to be provided.

A plurality of sets of item generating options may be provided, each setcomprising a plurality of different item generating options.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer device configuredto provide a computer implemented game, the computer device comprising:a display; at least one processor configured to cause the display todisplay a resource management part of the computer implemented game, theresource management part of the computer game providing one or moreresources based on one or more items and to cause the display to displaya runner part of the computer implemented game; a user interfaceconfigured to receive user input to control a movement of a game entityof the runner part of the game, wherein the at least one processor isconfigured to determine one or more items collected in response to themovement of the game entity, the one or more items being used in theresource management part of the game to provide one or more resources.

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer method provided bya computer device configured to provide a computer implemented game, themethod comprising: causing, by at least one processor of the computerdevice, a display of the computer to display a resource management partof the computer implemented game, the resource management part of thecomputer game providing one or more resources based on one or more itemsand to cause the display to display a runner part of the computerimplemented game; receiving, via a user interface of the computerdevice, user input to control a movement of a game entity of the runnerpart of the game; and determining, by the at least one processor, one ormore items collected in response to the movement of the game entity, theone or more items being used in the resource management part of the gameto provide one or more resources.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a user interface configured to receive user input to controlmovement of a game entity in the computer implemented game; at least oneprocessor configured to use a first received user input which isassociated with a default movement and information about an environmentin the computer implemented game in which the game entity is moving todetermine if the game entity is to move with the default movement orwith a modified default movement; and a display configured to displaythe game entity moving with the movement determined by the at least oneprocessor.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to reduce a time for which the default movement is performedfrom a first length of time to a third length of time.

The at least one processor may be configured to modify the defaultmovement to reduce a distance for which the default movement isperformed from a first distance to a third distance.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a user interface configured to receive user input to controlmovement of a game entity in a collection run of the computerimplemented game, the collection run comprising a plurality of differentpath options of which at least one path option is locked; a displayconfigured to display the game entity moving in response to the userinput along a path option of the plurality of path options of thecollection run; at least one processor configured to determine that atleast one locked path option is unlocked, and to cause the display todisplay information indicating for how long the respective locked pathoption is unlocked.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating when that unlocked path option is lockedagain.

The at least one processor is configured to determine that the at leastone path option is unlocked in response to one or more user actions.

The user interface may be configured to received one or more user inputsvia the user interface, the at least one processor being configured todetermine in response to the one or more user inputs that the at leastone path option is to be unlocked.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide, in response tothe one or more user inputs received via the user interface, a key tounlock one or more locked path options

The at least one processor may be configured to determine from the oneor more user inputs received via the user interface, that a key tounlock the one or more path options is purchased from an in-game shop ofthe computer implemented game.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine from the oneor more user inputs received via the user interface, that a key tounlock the one or more path options is obtained.

The at least one processor may be configured to start a timer when arespective locked path option is unlocked and when the timer expires,the at least one processor is configured to cause the respective pathoption to be locked again.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a time as the information indicating when the path option willbe locked again.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a remaining time for which the respective path option will beunlocked as the information indicating when the path option will belocked again.

The at least one processor is configured to cause the game entity tocollect resources as the game entity moves along the path options,wherein at least one type of resource is only available in thecollection run by the game entity moving along the locked path optionwhen unlocked.

The at least one processor is configured to cause the game entity tocollect resources as the game entity moves along the path options, todetermine that one or more resources on the respective locked pathoption have been collected when that path option is unlocked and inresponse to start one or more respective timers, whereby a respectiveresource is replenished when the respective timer has expired.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod performed by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: receiving, by a user interfaceof the computer device, user input to control movement of a game entityin a collection run of the computer implemented game, the collection runcomprising a plurality of different path options of which at least onepath option is locked; displaying, by a display of the computer device,the game entity moving in response to the user input along a path optionof the plurality of path options of the collection run; determining, byat least one processor of the computer device, that at least one lockedpath option is unlocked; and causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information indicating for how long the respectivelocked path option is unlocked.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information indicating when that unlocked path optionis locked again.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, thatthe at least one path option is unlocked in response to one or more useractions.

The method may comprise receiving, via the user interface, one or moreuser inputs via the user interface, and determining, by the at least oneprocessor, in response to the one or more user inputs that the at leastone path option is to be unlocked.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, inresponse to the one or more user inputs received via the user interface,a key to unlock one or more locked path options

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, fromthe one or more user inputs received via the user interface, that a keyto unlock the one or more path options is purchased from an in-game shopof the computer implemented game.

The method may comprise determining, by the at least one processor, fromthe one or more user inputs received via the user interface, that a keyto unlock the one or more path options is obtained.

The method may comprise starting, by the at least one processor, a timerwhen a respective locked path option is unlocked and when the timerexpires, causing the respective path option to be locked again.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display a time as the information indicating when the pathoption will be locked again.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display a remaining time for which the respective path optionwill be unlocked as the information indicating when the path option willbe locked again.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, the gameentity to collect resources as the game entity moves along the pathoptions, wherein at least one type of resource is only available in thecollection run by the game entity moving along the locked path optionwhen unlocked.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, the gameentity to collect resources as the game entity moves along the pathoptions, determining that one or more resources on the respective lockedpath option have been collected when that path option is unlocked and inresponse starting one or more respective timers, whereby a respectiveresource is replenished when the respective timer has expired.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer deviceconfigured to provide a computer implemented game, the computer devicecomprising: a user interface configured to receive user input to controlmovement of a game entity in a collection run of the computerimplemented game, a plurality of different types of resource beingavailable for collection; a display configured to display the gameentity moving in response to the user input in the collection run of thecomputer implemented game; and at least one processor configured todetermine, in response to the received user input, one or more resourcescollected by the movement of game entity in the collection run,determine availability of one or more of the different types ofresources, and cause the display to display information indicating theavailability of one or more of the different types of resources.

One or more of the different resources may always be available in thecollection run.

The at least one processor may be configured to provide for one or moreof the different resources a respective predetermined number ofresources in the collection run and when the respective one or more ofthat respective resource has been collected, that respective resource isreplenished only after a respective predetermined time.

For one or more of the different resources a respective predeterminednumber of resources may be provided in the collection run and when therespective predetermined number of that respective resource has beencollected, that respective resource may next be available for collectionin the collection run only after a respective predetermined time.

For at least one of the different resources the respective predeterminednumber may be one.

The at least one processor may be configured to start a timer for arespective resource when the respective predetermined number of thatresource has been collected.

The timer for the respective resource may be configured to expire at therespective predetermined time.

The at least one processor may be configured, when the timer of therespective resource has expired, to cause the respective resource to beavailable for collection in the collection run.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay comprise information indicating when the timer expires for thatrespective resource expires.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay be provided for one or more resources which are not currentlyavailable for collection in the collection run.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay indicate for a respective resource when that resource is nextavailable.

The computer device may comprise a timer associated with a respectiveresource

The computer implemented game may comprise a plurality of differentcollection runs.

The display may be configured to display a plurality of optionsselectable by user input via the user interface, each option beingassociated with a different collection run and the at least oneprocessor may be configured, responsive to user input received via theuser interface to select one of the plurality of options associated witha respective collection run, to cause one or more screens to bedisplayed on the display associated with that respective collection run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information about a plurality of different collection runs, theinformation comprising an indication of the plurality of differentresources collectable in the respective collection run.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise information indicating which of the plurality of differentresources of a respective collection run are available for collection.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise information indicating which of the plurality of differentresources of a respective collection run are not available forcollection.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise for the one or more different resources which are not availablefor collection, information about when those one or more differentresources will be available for collection.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating if a respective collection run isavailable for selection by a user.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer implementedmethod performed by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the method comprising: a receiving, by a userinterface of the computer device, user input to control movement of agame entity in a collection run of the computer implemented game, aplurality of different types of resource being available for collection;displaying, by a display of the computer device, the game entity movingin response to the user input in the collection run of the computerimplemented game; determining, by at least one processor of the computerdevice, in response to the received user input, one or more resourcescollected by the movement of game entity in the collection run;determining, by at least one processor, availability of one or more ofthe different types of resources; and causing the display to displayinformation indicating the availability of one or more of the differenttypes of resources.

One or more of the different resources may always be available in thecollection run.

The method may comprise providing, by the at least one processor, forone or more of the different resources a respective predetermined numberof resources in the collection run and when the respective one or moreof that respective resource has been collected, that respective resourceis replenished only after a respective predetermined time.

For one or more of the different resources a respective predeterminednumber of resources may be provided in the collection run and when therespective predetermined number of that respective resource has beencollected, that respective resource may next be available for collectionin the collection run only after a respective predetermined time.

For at least one of the different resources the respective predeterminednumber may be one.

The method may comprise starting, by the at least one processor, a timerfor a respective resource when the respective predetermined number ofthat resource has been collected.

The timer for the respective resource may be configured to expire at therespective predetermined time.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, when thetimer of the respective resource has expired, the respective resource tobe available for collection in the collection run.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay comprise information indicating when the timer expires for thatrespective resource expires.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay be provided for one or more resources which are not currentlyavailable for collection in the collection run.

The information indicating the availability for the respective resourcemay indicate for a respective resource when that resource is nextavailable.

The computer implemented game may comprise a plurality of differentcollection runs.

The method may comprises displaying by the display a plurality ofoptions selectable by user input via the user interface, each optionbeing associated with a different collection run and causing, by the atleast one processor, responsive to user input received via the userinterface to select one of the plurality of options associated with arespective collection run, one or more screens to be displayed on thedisplay associated with that respective collection run.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information about a plurality of different collectionruns, the information comprising an indication of the plurality ofdifferent resources collectable in the respective collection run.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise information indicating which of the plurality of differentresources of a respective collection run are available for collection.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise information indicating which of the plurality of differentresources of a respective collection run are not available forcollection.

The information about the plurality of different collection runs maycomprise for the one or more different resources which are not availablefor collection, information about when those one or more differentresources will be available for collection.

The method may comprise causing, by the at least one processor, thedisplay to display information indicating if a respective collection runis available for selection by a user.

According to another aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computerreadable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by atleast one processor of a computer device causes the at least oneprocessor to provide the method of embodiments.

According to some aspects, there is provided a program productcomprising a computer-readable storage device including acomputer-readable program for providing a computer-implemented game,wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer causesthe computer to perform any one or more of the method steps describedpreviously.

A computer program comprising program code means adapted to perform themethod(s) may also be provided. The computer program may be storedand/or otherwise embodied by means of a carrier medium.

In the above, many different embodiments have been described. It shouldbe appreciated that further embodiments may be provided by thecombination of any two or more of the embodiments described above.

Various other aspects and further embodiments are also described in thefollowing detailed description and in the attached claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1a shows an example user device in which some embodiments may beprovided;

FIG. 1b shows an example system in which some embodiments may beprovided;

FIG. 2a schematically shows a computer implemented game of someembodiments;

FIG. 2b shows a base of some embodiments;

FIG. 3 shows a game screen for a character in a runner game with threelanes;

FIG. 4 shows a first method for controlling the movement of thecharacter between lanes;

FIG. 5 shows a second method for an embodiment of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 6a shows one screen for selecting an enemy to battle;

FIG. 6b shows another screen for selecting an enemy to battle;

FIGS. 7a to 7c show first example screens for making an item fromcollected resources;

FIG. 7d shows a second example for making an item from collectedresources;

FIG. 7e shows a third example screens for making an item from collectedresources;

FIG. 8 shows a screen showing a plurality of different run options;

FIG. 9a shows an image indicating a resource which is specificallyrequired to provide an item and an image indicating a resource which isnot specifically required;

FIG. 9b shows an image indicating a gem which has been collected and animage indicating a gem to be collected;

FIG. 10 shows a part of a game area which is locked becoming unlocked;

FIG. 11 shows a map representation of a part of an area which is lockedbecoming unlocked;

FIG. 12a schematically shows a path of a run;

FIG. 12b shows an example of a sign on a path of a run indicating an endof a run;

FIG. 13 shows a locked part of a path;

FIGS. 14a to 14c show screens displayed during the purchase of a key fora locked path;

FIGS. 15a and 15b show first examples of ingredient screens;

FIG. 15c shows an example of a parts screen;

FIG. 15d shows an example of a crafting screen;

FIG. 15e shows a different example of a screen showing an inventory ofingredients and parts;

FIG. 16 illustrates a character interacting with avatars of otherplayers;

FIG. 17a illustrates a character running with two other characters in ateam race;

FIG. 17b illustrates another example of a character running with twoother characters in a team race;

FIG. 17c shows an example of information displayed on the display for ateam race;

FIG. 17d shows an example of a screen for finding a team for the teamrace;

FIG. 17e shows an example of a screen for starting a team race;

FIG. 17f shows an example of a results screen for a team race;

FIG. 17g shows an example of a screen displaying indicate an increase ina rate at which points are accumulated;

FIG. 17h shows a method for determining a place in the team race;

FIG. 18 shows an example object usable by a character in the game;

FIG. 19 illustrates the control of a movement of a character with twoclosely spaced obstacles;

FIG. 20 shows a method of some embodiments for controlling a movement ofa character;

FIG. 21 shows a screen with an option to run with a character of anotheruser;

FIG. 22a shows a screen with an option to select a costume for thecharacter;

FIG. 22b shows a screen which shows the one or more bonuses provided bya costume;

FIG. 22c shows a screen with costume recommendations for a character;

FIG. 22d shows a preview of a purchasable costume;

FIGS. 23a to 23c show a character in a battle run as the characterapproaches the enemy;

FIG. 24 shows an example of an enemy attacking the character;

FIG. 25 shows an example of a mini game provided at an end of a battlerun;

FIG. 26 shows a power source arrangement used to provide power to aplurality of different base entities;

FIGS. 27a to 27c show a battery making entity;

FIGS. 28a and 28b show examples of screens showing collection runoptions;

FIG. 29a shows an example of entity which generates eggs;

FIG. 29b shows an example screen for making an egg item;

FIG. 30a shows a screen of the progress of a set of tasks of achallenge;

FIG. 30b shows a screen when all of the tasks have been completed;

FIG. 30c shows a screen of the base with a widget associated with thechallenge;

FIG. 30d shows a mission board at the base for missions or challenges;

FIG. 30e shows a dock at the base during a season;

FIG. 30f shows a dock at the base prior to the start of a season;

FIGS. 31a to 31d show a trophy building of the base during a season;

FIG. 31e shows a screen with information about the different trophiesacquired by the player;

FIG. 32 shows a screen with information about a team; and

FIG. 33 shows a screen with information about a league of teams.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The terms user and player are used interchangeably throughout thisdocument and no specific meaning is intended using one or the otherunless the context suggests otherwise.

In the following description of various implementations of theinvention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form apart thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration variousimplementations in which the invention may be utilized. It is to beunderstood that other implementations may be utilized, and structuraland functional modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention.

A person skilled in the art will realise that the different approachesto implementing the game is not exhaustive, what is described herein arecertain preferred embodiments. It is possible to implement embodimentsin a number of alternative variations.

A schematic view of a user device 100 according to an embodiment isshown in FIG. 1a . The user device is a computer device. All of theblocks shown are implemented by suitable circuitry. The blocks may beimplemented in hardware and/or software. The user device may have acontrol part 110.

The control part has at least one processor 115 and at least one memory120.

The control part 110 is shown as having a graphics controller 125 and asound controller 130. It should be appreciated that one or other or bothof the graphics controller 125 and sound controller 130 may be providedby the one or more processors 115.

The graphics controller 125 is configured to provide a video output 135.The sound controller 130 is configured to provide an audio output 140.The controller 110 has an interface 145 allowing the device to be ableto communicate with a network 150 such as the Internet or othercommunication infrastructure.

The video output 135 is provided to a display 155. The audio out 140 isprovided to an audio device 160 such as a speaker and or earphone(s).

The device 100 has an input device 165. The input device can take anysuitable format and can be one or more of a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, joystick or game controller. It should be appreciated that thedisplay 155 may in some embodiments also provide the input device 165 byway of an integrated touch screen for example. The input device mayprovide a user interface.

A timer 121 is provided. This may be a hardware timer or a softwaretimer or provided by a combination of hardware and software. The timermay be provided at least partially by the at least one processor in someembodiments.

A counter 123 is provided. This may be a hardware counter or a softwarecounter or provided by a combination of hardware and software. Thecounter may be provided at least partially by the at least one processorin some embodiments.

The blocks of the controller 110 are configured to communicate with eachother by an interconnect such as a bus or any other suitableinterconnect and/or by point to point communication.

It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the controller may beimplemented by one or more integrated circuits, at least in part.

The user device 100 is shown by way of example only. In alternativeembodiments, one or more of the parts may be omitted. Alternatively oradditionally, some embodiments may comprise one or more other parts.Alternatively or additionally, one or more parts may be combined.

FIG. 1b schematically shows a system 200 according to an embodiment. Thesystem 200 comprises a server 220 which may store or be in communicationwith a database 250 which may store game player's details, profiles,statistics etc. In practice, one or more databases 250 may be provided.Where more than one server 220 is provided, the database(s) 250 may beprovided in one server 220 or across two or more servers or as one ormore separate entities. The server 220 may have a games data function.This may comprise one or more units of memory to store for example thecomputer game program and optionally user behaviour data and at leastone processor to run the games program and optionally process the userbehaviour data.

The server 220 may communicate via, for instance, the internet 210 withone or more client or user devices 100, such as the user device 100shown in FIG. 1a by way of example. The server 220 may communicate withone or more social networks 230, for example, Facebook™. Thecommunication may be via the Internet or via any other suitablecommunications link or network. The social network 230 may be connectedto one or more databases 270 storing social user interaction details,for instance, user to user interaction maps, friend lists, locationhistory etc. In practice, one or more databases 270 may be provided.

It should be appreciated that embodiments may be deployed in differentsystem architectures. For example, the computer game may be implementedas a computer game that is stored in the at least one memory of the userdevice and is run on the one or more processors of the user device.However, the server 220 may handle some elements of the game in someembodiments. By way of example only, a Java game applet may be providedto the user device 100 and the locally running Java applet willgenerate, for example, the graphics, sounds, and user interaction forthe game play on the user device. Some data may be fed back to theserver to allow interaction with other players. The data which is fedback may alternatively or additionally allow scoring and/or crossplatform synchronization.

In some embodiments, the game may be implemented as a computer programthat is stored in a memory of the system, for example the game server,and which runs on a processor of the game server. Data streams orupdates are supplied to the user device to allow the user device torender and display graphics and sounds in a browser of the user device.Such an approach is sometimes referred to as a web services approach. Itshould be appreciated, however, that such an approach does notnecessarily require the use of the Internet.

It should be appreciated that some embodiments may provide a computerimplemented game as a stand-alone computer implemented game on the userdevice.

Some embodiments provide a computer device which is configured toprovide a computer implemented game of the runner type or genre. Runnergames are games where a player has control over a character that isconstantly moving. Often the character or game entity will run or movealong a path.

This runner type game may be played on a mobile computer device such asa smart phone or a tablet.

Some embodiments provide a resource management computer implementedgame. A resource management game generally allows a player to obtainresources. The player will generally then be able to turn theseresources into “higher level” products or resources. In resourcemanagement games, there may be a delay in providing of one or more ofthe resources and/or the turning of the resources into other resources.That delay may be controlled by a timer. A player may be able to speedup the timer in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the resource management part of the computerimplemented game may be a base. However, it should be appreciated thatin other embodiments, the resource management part of the game may beprovided by any other suitable game area.

Some embodiments provide a game which provides a runner game part tocollect resources which can be used in a resource management game part.The resource management game part may turn those resources into itemswhich can be used in the runner game part.

Reference is made to FIG. 2a which shows schematically some embodiments.FIG. 2a schematically shows the different parts of a computerimplemented game of some embodiments. The computer implemented game mayhave only one or more than one game area. The different game areas maybe represented as different geographical areas or worlds. The differentgame areas may represent different parts of the game. For example,different game areas may be different islands or different cities ordifferent countries or different continents or different planets ordifferent universes and/or the like. Different game areas may providedifferent resource collection runs.

In some embodiments, the player is not able to access all the game areasinitially. In some embodiments, there may be one or more criteria whichneed to be satisfied in order access a particular game area. One or moreof the game areas may be locked.

In some embodiments, the at least on processor of the user device may beconfigured to allow a user to control a character displayed on thedisplay via the user interface. The character may be controlled by theat least one processor in response to user input received via the userinterface to perform a collection run. As the character moves throughthe run, the player is able to provide user input via the user interfacewhich is used by the at least one processor to control the character tocollect resources. This is referenced 10 in FIG. 2 a.

One or more runs may be provided in a game area.

In some embodiments, there may be only a single type of resourceavailable on a given collection run.

In other embodiments there may be a plurality of different types ofresource available on a given run.

In some embodiments, different resources may be available in differentparts of a run.

In some embodiments, the one or more resources which are available in agiven run may be dependent on the game area in which the given run isprovided.

In some embodiments, there may only be a single collection run option ina game area. The player may be able to control the character to performthat collection run repeatedly to collect the resources.

In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of different runs in agame area. In some embodiments, the resources which can be collectedwill be dependent on the run being performed.

These runs are configured to have an end point. Some examples of an endpoint of a run will be described later. When the at least one processordetermines that a character successfully reaches the end point of therun, the at least one processor is configured to allow the player to usethe collected resources. The player may provide user input via the userinterface and in response the at least one processor may cause thecollected resources to be used.

Alternatively or additionally there may be one or more addition oralternative criteria which is used by the at least one processor todetermine if the collected resources are available for use by the atleast one processor.

In one implementation of the game, these resources may be referred to asingredients.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured todetermine that a character controlled by the at least one processor inresponse to user input received via the user interface has lost a lifewhen doing a collection run. The character may be provided with alimited number of lives or unlimited lives. The at least one processormay be configured to determine that a life has been lost when thecharacter has run into an obstacle and/or encountered an unfriendlycharacter and/or in any suitable way. The obstacle may be a certain typeof obstacle. The at least one processor may be configured to determinethat a life has been lost if the game entity is moving in a certain waywhen encountering a given object.

In some embodiments, one example of an unfriendly character may be aturtle or an enemy.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine that thecharacter is to lose a life if the character runs into the unfriendlycharacter. However, if for example, the at least one processordetermines that the character is spinning or otherwise interacting withthe unfriendly character, the at least one processor is configured todetermine that the unfriendly character may be removed from thecollection run or that one or more removable obstacles in the collectionrun path may be removed.

In some embodiments, a base is provided. The collection run may be suchthat the at least one processor causes the user to be automaticallytaken to the base at the end of a collection run. This may be the casefor example where the at least one processor determines that the userhas successfully completed a given collection run and has navigated tothe end point of the collection run. It should be appreciated that theremay be one or more alternative or additional ways of navigating betweenthe collection run and the base.

In some embodiments the base may comprise one or more base entitieswhich will be described in more detail later.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause one or more baseentities to use one or more of the resources to create one or moreitems. This is referenced 12 in FIG. 2a . One or more base entities maybe configured by the at least one processor to create one or morefurther items using one or more items, optionally also with one or moreresources.

In some embodiments, the resources may be used to make items such asweapons and/or ammunition for weapons. However, this is by way ofexample only and in other embodiments, the resources may be used to makealternative or additional items.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause resources whichare collected to be processed to provide items which can be used inbattles against an enemy. The at least one processor may be configuredto cause items to be created from the one or more resources in a baseentity such as a lab.

Thus, in some embodiments, resources are collected in response to userinput received via the user interface to control a character in acollection run or otherwise collected. The resources are used by the atleast one processor to create weapons and/or ammunition which can beused to fight an enemy in a so-called battle run which will describedfurther later. In some embodiments, different ammunition and/ordifferent weapons are required for different enemies.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured to useresources to create an item. However, there may be time associated withthe providing of a given item from the resources. For example, it maytake 10 minutes to create a given weapon from the required resources.This is by way of example only, the time may be of the order of seconds,minutes, hours, days or even longer. Different items may be associatedwith different times, in some embodiments. In other embodiments, thetime may be the same regardless of the item being made.

The at least one processor may be configured to start a timer when userinput is received via the user input. This user input may be configuredto select an item creating option which is displayed on the display.

The timer may be used to control the timing of the providing of an item.For example, the at least one processor is configured to provide theitem when the timer has expired. This will be described in more detaillater.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured such thatthe user is only able to use the collected resources which are collectedin that run if the at least one processor determines that the run hasbeen successfully completed.

In some embodiments, the user is able to provide user input via the userinterface and in response the at least one processor is configured topause a run, in order to allow the collected resources to be used.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured such thatthe user is able to use the collected resource after a run has attemptedand failed.

In some embodiments, one or more other criteria may need to be satisfiedin order for the at least one processor to determine that the user is tohave the opportunity to use the resources.

In some embodiments, the items may be used in one or more battle runs toobtain rewards. This is referenced 14 in the embodiment of FIG. 2a . Abattle run is associated with an enemy. This may be different to thecollection runs discussed in relation to reference 10. For example, abattle run may be associated with a specific enemy which can be defeatedwith an item such as a weapon and/or ammunition which have been madefrom the collected resources. In some embodiments, there may be aspecific item such as a weapon and/or ammunition required to defeat aspecific enemy.

In some embodiments a battle run may be associated with one enemy. Inother embodiments a battle run may be associated with one more enemy.

In some embodiments, the player is able to collect resources when doingthis battle run. These resources may be the same and/or different as theresources which may be collected when the player does a collection run.

If the player defeats the enemy, the player may earn one or morerewards. In some embodiments, a victory against the enemy will provideone or more power gem resource.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toprovide one or of the game areas with one or more game enemies. A gameenemy may be a game boss. In some embodiments, there may be differentgame enemies in different game environments. Different ones of the gameenemies may require one or more different items in order to be defeated.

The game enemy may be provided at the end of a battle run. The gameenemy may use one or more weapons against the character. The game enemymay direct shots or other ammunition against the character. Thecharacter may need to use one or more items and/or objects against theenemy. The character may gain rewards by defeating that enemy.

In some embodiments, in order to upgrade, make or unlock one more baseentities, the at least one processor may require one or more rewardsacquired as a result of defeating one or more enemies.

The rewards and/or one or more items and/or one or more resources may beused to modify a base and/or unlock new game areas. This is referenced16 in FIG. 2 a.

In some embodiments, the resources and/or items and/or rewards acquiredby defeating a game enemy may be used to create and/or upgrade and/orunlock one or more parts of the base and/or base entities of the base.

In some embodiments, one or more rewards and/or one or more items and/orone or more resources may be used to unlock one or more new collectionsruns and/or one or more locked paths in a collection run.

During a run, the at least one processor may be configured to determinethat the character controlled by the user may “die”. This may mean thecharacter is unable to continue with that run. In some embodiments, theat least one processor may be configured to cause a message to bedisplayed on the display asking if the player want to quit the run orcontinue with the run. This may be the case with collection runs and/orbattle runs.

Where the player selects the option to continue with the game, the atleast one processor may be configured to cause the collection run torestart from the beginning. In some embodiments, a run may be providedwith one or more waypoints. If the character has passed a waypointbefore the character dies, the at least one processor may be configuredto cause character to restart the collection run from the respectivewaypoint.

In some embodiments, in order to continue with the run, this may requirethe payment of in game currency, the watching of an advertisement, thesatisfying of one or more game criteria and/or the use of one or more ofone or more resource, one or more items and one or more reward items.

The player may or may not retain the items which were selected prior tothe character dying.

In some embodiments, the player may retain the resources collected priorto the passing of a waypoint, even if the character dies after thatwaypoint.

In some embodiments, if the player selects the quit option, the playerwill lose any resources which the player previously collected in thatrun.

In some embodiments, where the player replays at least a part of a run,the at least one processor may be configured such that the player maynot collect the corresponding resource that the player collected whenpreviously playing that run. In some embodiments, when at least a partof the run is replayed, the at least one processor may be configuredsuch that any previously collected resource may not be displayed.

In some embodiments, where the player replays at least a part of therun, at least one processor may be configured such that the player maybe able to collect the corresponding resource that the player collectedwhen previously playing that run.

Reference is made to FIG. 5 which shows a method of some embodiments.This may be for the embodiments outlined in relation to FIG. 2 a.

In step T1, user input received via the user interface is provided tocontrol the character to perform a run and collect one or more resourceswhile doing that run. The run may be completed or otherwise ended. Thismay be a collection run, such as previously discussed.

In step T2, the at least one processor is configured to determine thatthe display is to display one or more screens inviting or allowing theuser to use one or more resources to provide one or more items. This maybe to make one or more items to use in a battle run. The items may beone or more of a weapon and ammunition.

In some embodiments, there may be a series of screens which aredisplayed. The screens which are displayed may be dependent on receiveduser input. In some embodiments, one or more of the screens may beprovided with one or more user selectable options which when selectedwill be used by the at least one processor to determine the next screento be displayed.

The display inviting the user to use one or more resources to make oneor more items may be displayed when the at least one processor hasdetermined that a collection run has been completed or has ended. Inresponse to determining that the run has been completed or ended, the atleast one processor may determine that a screen inviting the user to usethe one or more resources is to be displayed automatically.

Alternatively, the at least one processor may determine that a screeninviting the user to use the one or more resources is displayed inresponse to a user input selecting an associated base entity such as alab.

It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, one or more itemsand/or one or more rewards may alternatively or additionally be used tomake the one or more items.

In step T3, the at least one processor is configured to cause the one ormore items to be created from the one or more resources and/or one ormore items and/or one or more rewards. The one or more items which arecreated will be in response to user input associated with the one ormore screens of step T2.

In step T4, the at least one processor is configured to receive userinput selecting a battle run option. The user may use one or more of theitems created in step T3 against the enemy of the battle run in order todefeat the enemy.

In step T5, it is determined by the at least one processor that theenemy has been defeated in the battle run and one or more rewards areprovided. As mentioned previously, the rewards may be used to forexample to upgrade the base.

Reference is made to FIG. 2b which shows an example of a base. Thescreen shown in FIG. 2b has three user selectable navigation options.The navigation options are selectable via user input received via theuser interface. These options are one example of how game navigation maybe achieved. These navigation options may be regarded as buttons whichcan be selected by user input received via the user interface. The atleast one processor is configured to control which screen is displayedon the display in response to user input selection one of the navigationoptions.

The first user selectable navigation option 32 when selected will take auser to a clan view. The user may belong to one or more clans or teams.This will be described in more detail later.

The second user selectable navigation option 26 is a base option, whichwhen selected causes the screen shown in FIG. 2b to be displayed.

The third user selectable area 28 is a run option, which when selectedcauses the user to be provided with a collection run screen such asshown in FIG. 8. This will be described in more detail later.

Alternatively or additionally, navigation may be achieved by swipingbetween screens. An example of this will be described in more detaillater.

The base will now be described in more detail. In some embodiments,there may be a single base. In other embodiments, there may be more thanone base. In those embodiments, where more than one base is provided,different bases may be associated with different game areas.

The base has various different base entities. The base entities may takeany suitable form. For example, a base entity may be a building, astructure, an area and/or any other suitable entity.

It should be appreciated that a base entity may be upgraded in someembodiments.

In some embodiments, a base entity may be unlocked.

In some embodiments, a base entity may be created.

By way of example, the at least one processor may be configured suchthan an entity may be one or more of created, unlocked, and upgradedusing one or more collected resources, one or more items and/or one ormore rewards and/or in game currency. Different base entities may havedifferent requirements for one or more resources and/or one or moredifferent items and/or one or rewards and/or in game currency.

By way of example, one or more different base entities will now bedescribed. However, this is by way of example only and one or more ofthese described base entities may not be provided. In some embodiments,alternatively or additionally one or more different base entities may beprovided.

One example of a base entity is a shop 30. This is discussed in moredetail later. It should be noted that the shop has yet to be unlocked inthe screen shown in FIG. 2b and as such the at least one processor isconfigured to cause the shop to be displayed in a visually distinct wayas compared to when the shop is unlocked The user may be able topurchase one or more purchasable items. The purchasable items may beitems which may be only purchased in the shop. Alternatively oradditionally, the user may be able to purchase one or more resourcesfrom the shop. Alternatively or additionally, the user may be able topurchase one or more of the items which can also be made.

The base entity referenced 22 is in this embodiment a lab which is usedto make an item in the form of a serum from collected resources. This isdescribed in more detail later.

The base entity referenced 34 is in this embodiment a silo whichcontains various items and/or resources of the user. This is describedin more detail later.

The base entity referenced 24 in this embodiment allows the user toselect an enemy to battle. This is described in more detail later.

In some embodiments, there may be a single base.

In other embodiments, there may be more than one base. A base may beassociated with a game area. In some embodiments, there may be one baseper game area. In other embodiments, there may be more than one baseassociated with a game area.

Reference is made to FIG. 26. A power source 750 may be provided. Thepower source may be a power generator. In some embodiments, this powergenerator may be provided by a base entity.

In some embodiments, the user may be able to select via the user inputreceived via the user interface one or more base entities to beconnected to the power source 750. In response to the user input, the atleast one processor is configured to cause the selected one or more baseentities to be selected to the power source 750.

In the example shown in FIG. 26, first to third base entities 752 to 756are shown connected to the power source. This is by way of example onlyand more or less than three base entities may be connected to the powergenerator at a given time. The user may be able to provide user inputand in response to the user input, the at least one processor can changethe number of base entities connected to the power generator at a giventime. There may or may not be a maximum number of base entities whichcan be connected to the power generator at a given time. The user may beable to provide user input and in response to the user input, the atleast one processor can change which base entities which are connectedto the power generator.

In some embodiments, a base entity which is connectable to the powergenerator may be associated with the creating of one or more items. Asmentioned previously, a respective timer may be associated with thecreation of the one or more items. A given base entity may be able tocreate one or more items at the same time. In some embodiments,different timings may be associated with different items. Each baseentity is thus provided with a timer function 755. The timer function isconfigured to control the time taken to create one or more of therespective items. The timer function may provide one or more differenttimers. As discussed elsewhere in this document, the at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause the display to display timeinformation for an item which is being created. This time informationmay be the remaining amount of time before the item is created. This maybe controlled by the respective timer.

The at least one processor may be configured to control the one or moretimer functions.

In some embodiments, the power generator may be connected to one or oneor more batteries 753 a and 753 b. In some embodiments, the batteriesmay be made from one or more resources and/or one or more items. Theremay or may not be a maximum number of batteries connectable to the powergenerator at a given time.

A respective battery may be associated with a given amount of time. Whenthe battery is connected to the power generator in response to userinput, the remaining time for one or more items being created in one ormore base entities which are currently connected to the power generatoris reduced by that amount of time. In some embodiments, the timer for atleast one or more or all of the items in each of the connected baseentities is reduced by the given amount of time or completed if lessthan the given amount of time is remaining on the respective timer.

Consider the example shown in FIG. 26. Battery 1 753 a is associatedwith a time of 10 minutes. When just battery 1 753 a is connected to thepower generator, the remaining time for any item currently being createdis reduced by 10 minutes. If the time remaining for a given item is lessthan 10 minutes, then the creation of the item is completed. If the timeremaining for a given item is more than 10 minutes, then the remainingtime is reduced by 10 minutes. The at least one processor may update arespective timer for a particular item and cause the updated remainingtime to be displayed for that particular item.

As shown in FIG. 26, a second battery is provided, battery 2 753 b. Thisbattery is associated with a time of 20 minutes. On its own, thisbattery will reduce the remaining time for an item to be created by 20minutes.

When both the first battery and the second battery are connected to thepower generator, then the remaining time will be cumulatively reduced by30 minutes.

It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the batteries may beassociated with a same amount of time. In other embodiments, such asshown in FIG. 26 different batteries may be associated with differentamounts of time.

In some embodiments, a battery item may be created (or recharged) andadded to the power generator.

In some embodiments, the battery may be created or recharged by one ormore other base entities and/or purchased using in game currency.

In some embodiments, a battery may be created or recharged from surplusresources stored in the silo. The silo may therefore need to be filledto at least a minimum level before resources can be used to create orrecharge a battery.

The number of resources used to create and/or recharge the battery maydetermine the number of minutes by which a timer is reduced. A largernumber of resources may be required to be provide a battery with agreater reduction in time. A smaller number of resources may be requiredto be provide a battery with a smaller reduction in time. A longer timemay be required to create a battery and/or recharge a battery whichprovides a greater reduction in time as compared to a battery whichprovides a shorter reduction in time.

Reference is made to FIGS. 27a to c which shows three screens with abase entity 760 for making batteries which are caused by the at leastone processor to be displayed on the display. Each screen shows a scale762. The scale will indicate if there are enough resources to make abattery and if so the size of the battery.

In the example shown in FIG. 27a , the at least one processor hasdetermined that there are not enough resources to make any size ofbattery and accordingly controls the user interface and the display suchthat the user selectable option button 764 which allows a battery to bemade is available but not selectable.

In the example shown in FIG. 27b , the at least one processor hasdetermined that there are enough resources to the smallest size ofbattery (associated with the shortest time reduction) and accordinglycontrols the user interface and the display such that the userselectable option button 764 which allows a battery to be made isavailable. If selected, this allows the user to make that smallest sizeof battery.

In the example shown in FIG. 27c , the at least one processor hasdetermined that there are enough resources to the largest size ofbattery (associated with the greatest time reduction) and accordinglycontrols the user interface and the display such that the userselectable option button 764 which allows a battery to be made isavailable. If selected, this allows the user to make that largest sizeof battery.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured to bea battery to be emptied or depleted once the time of at least one itemhas been reduced or the creating of the item has been completed. Inother embodiments, a given battery may be used up to m times. m may bethe same for all batteries or different.

In some embodiments, the more entities that are connected to the powersource, the quicker that a battery used up.

In some embodiments, there may be a finite amount of power from abattery which may be shared between the entities. The power may beshared equally or unequally between the entities.

It should be appreciated that different base entities may requiredifferent powers.

Different base entities may require different rates of power.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to causethe amount of power that the power source currently has to be displayedon the display.

In some embodiments, a character runs along a path of a run. This runmay be a collection run and/or a battle run

The character is controlled by the at least one processor in response toinput provided by a user via the user interface. In some embodiments,the path may comprise one or more lanes which are caused by the at leastone processor to be displayed on the display. In the example shown inFIG. 3, there are three lanes 300 shown. However, it should beappreciated that this is by way of example only and more or less thanthree lanes may be provided.

In some embodiments, the number of lanes provided may vary during thegame. For example, the number of lanes may be reduced so as to be lessthan three or increased so as to be greater than three. One or more ofthe lanes may be at a different level to one or more other lanes.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, a character 302 is controlled by the atleast one processor in response to user input via the user interface torun along the lanes. As mentioned, in some embodiments, the userinterface may be a touch screen display which is the same as the displayon which the game area is displayed.

In some embodiments, the character 302 will run along a lane under thecontrol of at least one processor. The user input which is received viathe user interface is used to control which lane the character isrunning in. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the character 300 iscurrently running in the far left lane 302. A user input in a form aswipe to the right, represented by arrow 304 will cause the character tomove into the middle lane.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured inresponse a user input providing a swipe to the right to move thecharacter by one lane only. A further swipe to the right will berequired to cause the character to move to the far right lane.

Conversely, when the character is in the middle lane or the far rightlane, a swipe to the left will cause the character to move one lane tothe left.

The at least one processor may to configured to determine that acharacter has collected a resource by running through it. One or moreresources may be provided in an object. Interacting with the object maycause the resource to be collected. The object may be for example acrate or other container. In some embodiments, the object may beregarded as being an obstacle.

It should be appreciated that the at least one processor may beconfigured to cause one or different actions to be performed by thecharacter in dependence on the input received from the user via the userinterface.

Swiping left and right may control the character as previouslydescribed.

The at least one processor may be configured to control the character tomove alone a lane. The user input is used by the at least one processorto control how the character moves and/or the path taken and/or in whichlane the character runs.

For example, the character may be controlled by a tap or similar userinput with respect to the user interface in order to spin. A spinningaction with respect to an object may cause the object to be removed andthe associated resource or resources to be collected. Alternatively oradditionally, a spinning action may remove one or more obstacles.

The character may be controlled by user input received via the userinterface to jump. This user input may be in the form of a swipe up.

The character may be controlled by user input received via the userinterface to slide. This user input may be in the form of a swipe down.

In some embodiments, a swipe detector is provided by the at least oneprocessor. The at least one processor is configured to determine how farthe user's finger has travelled with respect to the user interface(touch screen) in a time period to determine if the user's input is aswipe. The time period may be set such a swipe action is determined evenif the user moves his finger relatively slowly.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured todetermine from the user input as to the move to be made by the charactereven if the user does not lift their finger up between moves. Forexample, the user will make a series of moves without lifting his fingerbetween moves. Each move may be in a given direction. The at least oneprocessor is configured to analyse the received user input to determinea direction of the move, that is right, left, up or down. Depending onthe determined direction, the character will be controlled to performthe corresponding action.

A timer may be used to distinguish between a single move in a givendirection and say a second move in that same direction. If the move isfor less than a first amount of time, then the input is considered torepresent a single move in a direction and if the move is from more thanthe first amount of time then, the input is considered to represent twoconsecutive moves in the same direction. For example, this might be tocontrol the character to do two jumps, one after the other or to causethe character to move across by two lanes.

In some embodiments, the user may be able to provide a combination ofmoves with a single input. For example, if the user moves his finger ina diagonal direction, a determination can be made as to the direction ofthe swipe and whether the character is to jump or slide. In this latterembodiment, thresholds for the diagonal movement may be set to allow animperfect swipe (up, down, left, or right) to be distinguished from acombined movement input.

It should be appreciated that when the user's finger does not move, thecharacter will continue to run as controlled by the at least oneprocessor in the current lane.

Reference is made to FIG. 4 which shows a method of some embodiments.

In step S1, a user input is received via the user interface. In someembodiments, this may be via a touch screen on which the game isdisplayed.

In step S2, the at least one processor of the user device is configuredto determine that the user input is a swipe and the direction of theswipe. A user input may be considered to be a swipe when one or moreswipe conditions are satisfied. The one or more swipe conditions maycomprise that the user input has one or more of: lasted for at least aminimum length of time; moved a minimum distance; moved in a givendirection; and has a component in a given direction. In this examplemethod, the swipe is determined to be a swipe to a left or a swipe tothe right.

In step S3, the at least one processor is configured to determine a lanefor the character based on the current lane of the character and thedirection of the swipe.

In step S4, the at least one processor is configured to cause thedisplay to display the character in the determined lane.

In some embodiments, the location of the start of the swipe and the endof the swipe may be any location in the game area.

This may be advantageous when playing the game on a mobile device with alimited display area.

In alternative embodiments, the location of the start of the swipeshould be in the current lane of the character and the end of the swipeshould be in one of the adjacent lanes in order to move the character toan adjacent lane.

In alternative embodiments, the length of the swipe may be determined bythe at least one processor. The length of the swipe may be used by theat least one processor to determine if the character is to move into anadjacent lane or into a lane which separated from the current lane byone or more other lanes.

As mentioned previously, as the character runs along the path of a run,the character is able to collect resources. In the example shown in FIG.3, resources 306 are shown in the different lanes. As the character runsthrough a resource in a lane, the at least one processor is configuredto determine that the resource is collected by the character.

In some embodiments, there resource may simply be provided in thevarious lanes. The user input may cause the at least one processor tomove the character between the lanes in order to collect the resources.

Alternatively or additionally, one or more resources may be provided inan object. That object may be provided in one or more lanes. Thecharacter may be required to perform a particular action with respect tothat object in order that the at least one processor determines that theone or more resources are collected. For example, the object may acrate. The user is required to provide a user input. In response to theuser input, the at least one processor determines that the crate issmashed open in order to release the one or more resources in the crate.

In some embodiments, a user will be able to select a same run more thanonce. In some embodiments, if a give resource is collected during a run,that given resource may not be available for collection for at least agiven time defined by a timer. This means that if the user selects thesame run and the given time has not yet ended, the user will not be ableto collect that given resource. Conversely, if the user selects the samerun and the given time has ended, the user will be able to collect thatgiven resource.

In some embodiments, some resources may be associated with a timer. Insome embodiments some resources may not be associated with a timer.

In some embodiments, one or more resources provided in an object such asa crate may be associated with a timer.

Different resources may be associated with different timers havingdifferent lengths of time before that resource is available again.

The one or more timers are controlled by the at least one processor. Atimer may be started by the at least one processor. This may for examplebe in response to determining that one or more given resources have beencollected. In response to the expiry of the timer, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause one or more given resources to beavailable for collection.

Reference is made by way of example to FIG. 6a . In some embodiments,the screen of FIG. 6a may be displayed when a user selects an entity ofa base. This may be the entity referenced 24 in FIG. 2b in someembodiments.

In FIG. 6a , the at least one processor is configured to cause a displayto display a screen which shows the images or icons of a plurality ofenemies 310 a and b in a row. The respective enemy may be defeated oryet to be defeated. If the enemy is defeated, as referenced 310 a, theuser has successfully battled that enemy. If the enemy is not yetdefeated, as referenced 310 b, the user has yet to battle that enemyand/or has yet to defeat that enemy. The defeated and yet to be defeatedenemies may be displayed in a visually distinct manner. For example, adefeated enemy may be indicated with a tick, enemy 310 a in thisexample. The at least one processor is configured to determine for agiven enemy if that enemy has yet to be defeated or has been defeated.In response to that determination, the at least one processor isconfigured to control the display to display information indicating ifthe enemy has yet to be defeated or defeated.

The user is able to select one of those enemies to battle by providinguser input via the user interface. The user may only be able to selectan enemy which has been undefeated in some embodiments. In otherembodiments, the user is able to select any of the available enemiesregardless of whether the enemy has been previously defeated or not.

In some embodiments, the user is able to select an enemy by clicking onone of the images or icons of the plurality of enemies. The selectedenemy may be displayed in a visually distinct manner.

In some embodiments, the user may be required to defeat a number oflesser enemies before the user is able to battle a more powerful enemyor a so-called boss. That more powerful enemy may provide a greaterreward when defeated and/or may be a harder enemy to defeat and/or mayrequire additional items to defeat. A larger icon 312 of the morepowerful enemy is also shown. This icon may indicate if the selectedenemy is locked (and not yet available for battling). In this example,this is indicated by a padlock.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for a given enemyif that enemy is available to be battled or is not yet available for abattle. In response to that determination, the at least one processor isconfigured to control the display to display information indicating ifthe enemy is available to be battled or is not yet available for abattle.

The screen of FIG. 6a indicates the rewards 314 which are obtained bydefeating the particular enemy. These rewards may be used for example toupgrade the base and/or otherwise used.

The screen of FIG. 6a also indicates the one or more items which arerequired in order to defeat that enemy. The at least one processor maybe configured to determine whether or not the user has sufficient numberand/or types of the items in order to be able to battle that enemy andto cause the display an indication indicating whether or not the userhas sufficient number and/or types of the items in order to be able tobattle that enemy. These items may be made or from collected resourcesand/or one or more other items as previously described.

The screen of FIG. 6a has a user selectable option area or button 320.In response to selection of the button 320 by user input received viathe user interface the at least one processor will cause the display todisplay a game area which allows the user to provide user input make oneor more items from the collected resources. In some embodiments, this isa laboratory. This may be the base entity referenced 22.

The screen of FIG. 6a has another user selectable option area or button324 In response to selection of the button 324 by user input receivedvia the user interface the at least one processor will cause the displayto display screen where the user can select a collection run.

The screen of FIG. 6a has a third user selectable option area or button322. In response to selection of the button 322 by user input receivedvia the user interface the at least one processor will cause the displayto display the battle run which allows the user to battle the selectedenemy. It should be appreciated that this option area may only beselectable if the at least one processor determines that the selectedenemy is unlocked, and that the user has the one or more items requiredto battle the selected enemy.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor will cause an enemy tobe unlocked once a user has acquired sufficient items to battle thatenemy.

Alternatively or additionally, the at least one processor will cause theenemy to be unlocked once one or more game related criteria or goalshave been satisfied.

Reference is made to FIG. 6b which shows another example. In someembodiments, the screen of FIG. 6b may be displayed when the at leastone processor determines that a user input received via the userinterface selects structure 24 of the example base of FIG. 2 b.

In FIG. 6b , the at least one processor is configured to display ascreen which shows the images or icons of a plurality of enemies 310 a′and b′ surrounding a more powerful enemy 312′. The enemies referenced310 a′ are ones which are available to be battled and the enemiesreferenced 310 b′ are not yet available to be battled. Enemies whichhave been defeated would be displayed in a visually distinct manner fromthose which are yet to be defeated. The more powerful enemy 312′ againcan only be battled once all the surrounding enemies 310 a′ and 310 b′have been defeated. In this example, the enemy referenced 310 a′ on theleft of the screen is selected in response to user input received viathe user interface and may be displayed in a visually distinct manner.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for a given enemyif that enemy is available to be battled or is not yet available for abattle. In response to that determination, the at least one processor isconfigured to control the display to display information indicating ifthe enemy is available to be battled or is not yet available for abattle.

It should be appreciated that the battle runs may be dependent on a gamearea and/or a part of a game area. The battle runs may be provided inthe same location as one or more collection runs. Unlocking a particularcollection run may unlock a corresponding battle run. In otherembodiments one or more other criteria may be alternatively oradditionally required in order to unlock a battle run. The user may bepermitted to provide user input via the user interface to select from alist of available battle runs. In response to selecting a particularbattle run by user input received via the user interface, the at leastone processor may cause the user to be presented on the display with theoptions to select a particular enemy to battle such as shown in FIG. 6aor 6 b.

Reference is made to FIGS. 7a to c which shows an example of the screenwhich is displayed when the at least one processor determines that auser input received via the user interface selects a laboratory option,such as discussed in relation to FIG. 6a or 6 b. The user canalternatively or additionally get to the laboratory option by providinga user input via the user interface to select structure 22 shown in FIG.2 b.

In this example, there are three options 337 displayed on the display.The first option 337 a shows an available serum making option for makinga particular type of serum. The second and third options 337 b are formaking different types of serum. In the example shown in FIGS. 7a to 7c, the user is not yet able to select either of the second and thirdoptions. The options which are not available for selection by the usermay be displayed in a visually distinct manner, for example with a lock.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for a given serummaking option if that serum making option is available or not. Inresponse to that determination, the at least one processor is configuredto control the display to display information indicating if the serummaking options is available or not.

The user may need to upgrade the laboratory and/or collect one or moreresources or resource types and/or make one or more other items and/ordefeat one or more enemies in order to be able to use one or more of thelocked options and/or use one or more the rewards collected by defeatingone or more enemies.

The screen has one or more serum to be made options 339 displayed. Itshould be appreciated that the user may be able to select via user inputreceived via the user interface one of a plurality of different to bemade options. One or more of the plurality of different to be madeoptions may be unavailable to the user. Those plurality of different tobe made options which are unavailable may be displayed in a differentway to those which are available in some embodiments.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for a given serumto be made option is available for selection or not. In response to thatdetermination, the at least one processor is configured to control thedisplay to display information indicating if the serum to be made optionis or is not yet available.

For a currently selected one of a plurality of different to be madeoptions, the at least one processor is configured to cause the displayto display an amount of time required to make the serum (1 minute in theoption shown in FIGS. 7a to c ). The at least one processor isconfigured to cause the display to display the resources required tomake the serum and the number of those resources. The at least oneprocessor is configured to cause the display to display an indication tothe user if they have the required number of each resource. In the eventthat there are not enough of one or more of the required resources, theuser may go on one or more collection runs.

To make a serum requires an available serum option to be selected byuser input and to be dragged by the user input to the corresponding oneof serum making options, as shown in FIG. 7 b.

The at least one processor is configured to cause the display to displayan option for the user to obtain the serum at once by using for examplein-game currency. For example, the user may select a user selectableoption area or button 341 in order to use in-game currency in order toobtain the selected serum immediately. This may be advantageous forthose serums which take much longer than on minute to be obtained.Otherwise the at least one processor is configured to cause the serum tobe provided at the end of the time period. The time period may becontrolled by the timer. The at least one processor may be configured tostart the timer when an available serum option is selected. The at leastone processor may be configured to use the timer to update the timeremaining until the serum is available. The updated remaining time maybe displayed on the display.

As shown in FIG. 7c , at the end of the required time, the user is ableto collect the serum by user input via the user interface selecting theuser selectable option area or button 343.

In these screens, there is an area or button 338 which when selected byuser input received via the user interface will cause the at least oneprocessor to display the enemy selection screen. In the event that theselected item is available for use, the user may return to the screenshown in FIG. 6b for example.

As in the example shown in FIGS. 7a to c , there is an area or button322 which when selected by user input received via the user interfacecause the at least one processor to display a collection run option. Insome embodiments, the user may select this option or button in order todo one or more collection runs in order to collect one or more missingresources.

FIG. 7d shows another example of a different lab. In some embodiments,this may be provided by a different base entity or lab of the base. Thisdifferent base entity may need to be unlocked before it is usable. Insome embodiments, this base entity may be an upgraded part of the samelab referenced 22 in FIG. 2 b.

In this example lab, ammunition for a ray gun is being made. Theammunition is the item being made.

As with the arrangement shown in FIGS. 7a to 7c , there are threeammunition making options 336, 331, 330. The first ammunition makingoption 336 is in the process of making a first type of ammunition. Thisuses the same mechanism to activate or select this option as describedin relation to FIGS. 7a to 7c . The user selects the correspondingammunition to be made option 332 and dragged it to the respectiveammunition making option 336.

In this example, the first type of ammunition is available after a giventime period which is 2 hours and 30 minutes in this embodiment.Alternatively first type of ammunition can be purchased immediatelyusing in game currency. In this example, 5 gold bars are required topurchase this item.

The second ammunition making option 330 is currently unused.

The third ammunition making option 331 has been used to make the thirdtype of ammunition which is awaiting collection by the user. Thisammunition may be collected in response to user input via the userinterface.

As referenced 334 an ammunition option for a particular type ofammunition to be made is displayed along with information indicatingwhich resources are required to make the item and the number of thoseresources which the user has currently collected.

In this screen, there is a user selectable option area or button 338which when selected will take the user to the enemy selection screen,such as previously described.

There is a user selectable option area or button 322 which when selectedwill take the user to a collection run option such as previouslydescribed. In some embodiments, the user may select this option in orderto do one or more runs in order to collect the missing resources.

Reference is made to FIG. 7e which shows another example of the lab usedto make an item from one or more resources. This may the same ordifferent to the labs shown in FIGS. 7a to 7 d.

FIG. 7e shows two screens. In this example, the user wants to make anitem 400 and has enough of two of the required resources. However, theuser does not have enough of the third resource. When the user selectsthe user selectable option area or button 402 on the screen on the leftto select the run option, the at least one processor is configured totake the user to a collection run option such as previously described.

On the screen on the right hand side, the user has attempted to make theitem 400 and has dragged item 400 to the respective item making option.In this example, the at least one processor is configured to cause thedisplay on the display of a message 404 with two user selectable optionareas or buttons 406 and 408. The message 404 indicates the missingresources and provides the user with the two user selection optionareas. The first user selectable option area or button 406, whenselected allows the user to purchase the required items using in-gamecurrency. The second user selectable option area or button 408, whenselected allows the user to select a run option.

In some embodiments, the user may be presented with the message shown inFIG. 7e in response to one or more different actions. For example,selection of the user selectable option area or button 402 may cause themessage to be displayed.

As mentioned previously, some embodiments may have a plurality ofdifferent game areas. Each game area may have one or more differentcollection runs. Reference is made to FIG. 8 which shows an example of ascreen which the at least one processor causes the display to display toshow a player his options for a collection run in a given game area orin the game. In this example, the game area is referred to as “WumpaIsland”.

The screen may show a plurality of different collection run options 350,352, 354. In this example, the collection run options are “TurtleWoods”, “Lost city” and “Temple Runs”. In some embodiments, one or moreof the collection run options may comprise one or more individualcollection run options.

A user selectable option area or button 356 with the word run may beselectable. In response to selection of that option area by user inputreceived via the user interface, the at least one processor isconfigured to provide the user with that collection run. If userselectable option area or button is not selectable, as referenced 358,then the at least one processor may be configured to cause the displayto display information in that area and/or elsewhere on that screen. Theinformation may indicate to the user what that user is required to do tounlock that run.

In some embodiments, information is provided as to the resources thatare collectable during a particular run. In the example shown in FIG. 8,the different resources that are collectable may be represented byrespective icons on crates. In other embodiments, the resources whichare collectable may be represented in any suitable way.

An area 380 on the screen shown in FIG. 8 may be provided for showingthe gems that have been collected by a player. There may be differenttypes of gems in some embodiment. This area may show which gems havebeen collected. The gems may in some embodiments be used to unlock acollection run.

In the arrangement of FIG. 8, the resources 360 which can be collectedon a run are shown on crates.

A crate may have an appearance of one of the crates of FIG. 9a . Thecrate 372 on the left is shown with an indication that the resource isrequired to complete an item. In this example the indication is providedby an exclamation mark. This is by way of example and other embodimentsmay use alterative indications. The crate 374 on the right does not havethat indication. This would be the case where the resource is notrequired to complete a particular item.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine for one ormore items, the one or more resources which are required to make theitem and which are yet to be collected. This may be where the user hasbeen attempting to make a particular item and has selected a collectionrun option. The at least one processor may be configured to causeinformation to be displayed for a given collection run if thatcollection run contains one or more resources that need to be collected.The indication may indicate which one of the resources are required.Optionally information on the number of resources available and/or thenumber of resources required may be displayed.

Thus, in the case in for example the scenario shown in FIG. 7e , theuser is unable to make a particular item because he does not have enoughof one of the resources. Selection of the user selectable option area orbutton 402 would cause the screen of FIG. 8 to be shown. The indicationshown in FIG. 9a can be used to indicate to the user, on which of thecollection runs the missing resource(s) can be collected.

In some embodiments, there may be currency type objects. In thisexample, those currency type objects are referred to as gems. In someembodiments, an indication may be provided for a given run as to whethergems are available and/or have been collected. In this regard, referenceis made to FIG. 9b . The gem 378 on the right is shown with anindication that the gem has been collected. In this example theindication is provided by a tick. This is by way of example and otherembodiments may use alterative indications. The crate 376 on the leftdoes not have that indication. This would be the case where the gem hasyet to be collected. This may be shown in association with one or moreparticular runs in FIG. 8.

Reference is made to FIG. 10. The at least one processor is configuredto cause the display to display information which indicates a part 381of a game area which is initially locked in the left hand screen andunlocked in the right hand screen. In this example the part of the gamearea is the Lost City. The left hand screen has a part 382 of the screenwhich indicates that the area is locked and what is required to unlockthat area. In this example, this area is just about to become unlocked.When the game area is locked, user input to select the part 382 will notcause the lost city runs to be accessed.

On the right hand screen, there is user selectable option area or button384 which when selected by user input received via the user input allowsthe user to access the associated collection run.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display a listof collection runs. This may be all of the collection runs.

In some embodiments, the collection runs may be provided in a listthrough which the user is able to scroll by providing user input via theuser interface. In the latter case, the at least one processor isconfigured to display a part of the list of collection runs, the part ofthe list which is displayed is responsive to the user input.

In some embodiments, a subset of the collection runs may be displayed.The user may be able to scroll through this subset in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toprovide a filtered list. The at least one processor may be configured tofilter the list based on any suitable criteria. For example, at leastone processor may be configured to filter the collection run list independence on one or more required resources.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured todisplay only collection runs which are available.

In other embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to causethe display to display collection runs with information indicating ifthat collection run is available. This may be as shown in FIG. 28a whichshows a list of collection runs.

As shown in FIG. 28a , each collection run is shown with informationindicating if the collection run is available or not. This may beindicated with either a lock 382 if the run is unavailable or a userselectable option area 384 which when selected will provide thatcollection run. This may be as discussed in relation to FIG. 10.

For each type of resource in a collection run, information 388 isprovided which indicates if the resource is available. This informationmay indicate how much of the resource is available. In some embodiments,this information will provide information as to how many of the maximumavailable resource are available. In some embodiments, this informationcomprises a meter which is shown in more detail in FIG. 28b . The meteris full when the maximum number of resources are available. This is asshown in FIG. 28 b.

In some embodiments, the meter may have a bar representation. In theexample shown in FIGS. 29a and b there are a maximum of three bars. Whenthere are three bars, the maximum number of the resources are availablein the run. When there are two bars, there are around two thirds of themaximum number of that type of resource available for collection. Whenthere is only one bar, there area around one third of the maximum numberof that type of resource available for collection. When there are nobars, there are no resources of that type currently available forcollection.

There may be more or less than three bars in other embodiments.

It should be appreciated that the meter can be represented in any othersuitable manner. An “empty” bar of the meter may be displayed indifferent way to a “full” bar of the meter.

A full bar of the meter may be displayed in a visually distinct mannerwhen the meter it is completely full as compared to when the meter isnot completely full. This visual indication may be provided by adifferent colour.

In other embodiments a linear scale or any another representation may beused to indicate the availability of resources.

Alternatively or additionally, the information may comprise informationindication a number of resources which are currently available and/orinformation indicating the maximum number of resources available.

Information 385 may be displayed to indicate when there will be areplenishment of the available resources. This information may comprisethe time when the replenishment will be available and/or the length oftime required for that replenishment. This may be displayed only when agiven number of the available resources area available for collectionwhere the given number is less than the maximum number of resources.

In some embodiments, instead of a list, the at least one processor maybe configured to provide collection run information on a map. The mapmay show a plurality of different areas or worlds. In some embodimentsthe map may show the different collection runs. In some embodiments, auser may be able to use a zoom function to move between the map showingthe different areas and the different collection runs within a givenarea.

In some embodiments, an indication may be provided on the map to show ifa given area is locked or unlocked. A given area when unlocked may haveone or more available collection runs. There may be informationindicating what resources are available in that given area.

Information such as previously discussed may be displayed on the mapadjacent a collection run. This may comprise information indicating ifthe collection run is available and/or information about the resourcesof the collection run and/or information when resources which arecurrently unavailable for collection will be available.

FIG. 11 shows a part of the game area. By way of example, this is TurtleWoods of Wumpa Island (Wumpa Island being the game area). In the screenon the right, the part of the area is locked. This is represented by theby the indication 410 which has a lock to show that the area isunavailable and an indication as to what is required to unlock thatarea. On the screen on the right side, a user selectable option area orbutton 420 is provided which when selected by user input allows a run tobe carried out.

It should be noted that arrow icons 414 allows the user to go todifferent parts of the game area and/or different game areas.Alternatively or additionally, swiping left or right will allow the userto switch between different parts of the game area and/or different gameareas.

In some embodiments, swiping will allow the user to navigate between thebase, the clan area, and the runs.

In some embodiments, swiping may be left and right and/or up and down.In some embodiments, one of swiping up and down or swiping left andright may allow navigation between the base, the clan area, and the runsfor example and the other of swiping up and down or swiping left andright may allow navigation between different collection runs.

Information such as previously discussed may be displayed. This maycomprise information indicating if the collection run is availableand/or information about the resources of the collection run.

Reference is made to FIGS. 29a and 29b which show another example of anentity 1301 which is able to make an item. This entity may be a chickencoop. The chicken coop entity itself needs to be created and/or upgradedin order to produce an item. In this example the produced item mayitself be used to create another item. For example, the item may be anegg. That egg may be used to produce ammunition and/or a gun. It shouldbe appreciated that in the following examples, reference is made to anegg. This is by way of example only and the refined item which isproduced may be any other suitable item. The egg or other produced itemis described as being used to make another item such as a weapon orammunition. It should be appreciated that the refined item may be usedto produce any other suitable item.

Reference is made to FIG. 29a . A chicken coop may start in a firststate 1300. This may be regarded as a ruin state or base state. In thisstate, the entity may not be capable of producing an items untilupgraded to have one or more production slots.

In some embodiments the chicken coop may have m production slots. Thismeans that a chicken coop may make a maximum of m eggs at the same time.In the example shown m is 3. However, in other embodiments m may be moreor less than three. In some embodiments, a chicken coop may be upgradedto have more than m production slots.

In some embodiments, each of the chicken production slots may beprovided with a nest and a chicken. In some embodiments, when an egg isnot being produced in a particular production slot, the respectivechicken may be visualised by the at least one processor moving round thebase.

When a chicken is associated with the production of an egg, the at leastone processor may be configured to control a visual characteristic ofthe chicken (for example colour) to be the same as the correspondingcharacteristic of the egg being produced.

In some embodiments, each production slot may be individually upgraded.In some embodiments, the production slots may only be upgraded together.In the first state, none of the production slots may be able to producean egg.

The chicken coop can be upgraded. This may be as previously describedwith one or more gems and/or one or more resources and/or one or moreitems made by one or more other base entities. An upgraded chicken coopis referenced 1302 and this has one production slot which can produceone or more eggs. The other production slots are not yet able to producean egg.

A further upgraded chicken coop is shown in FIG. 29a and referenced1304. This upgraded chicken coop has all three production slots upgradedand, in the example, shown an egg is being produced in two differentproduction slots.

In some embodiments the at least one processor may be configured toreceive user input to upgrade the chicken coop or to upgrade one or moreproduction slots. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if the criteria for upgrading the chicken coop or one or moreproduction slots is satisfied and if so to cause the upgrade to occur.It should be appreciated that the criteria may be any suitable criteriasuch as the user having a sufficient number of gems and/or resourcesand/or items and/or parts made from a plurality of items. Where thecriteria comprises having a sufficient number of gems, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause the number of gems to be updated todeduct the required number of gems for the selected upgrade. In someembodiments, in response to the user input, the at least one processoris configured to cause a timer to start. The at least one processor isconfigured to upgrade the chicken coop or one or more production slotswhen the timer expires or reaches a predetermined time. In someembodiments, the user may be able to cause the time required to upgradethe chicken coop or one or more production slots to be reduced. This mayrequire one or more additional gems or the payment of an in-gamecurrency or the like.

In FIG. 29a , three different chicken coops at different stages ofupgrade are shown. In some embodiments, a single chicken coop isprovided which may be upgraded as described in relation to FIG. 29 a.

Reference is made to FIG. 29b . The at least one processor is configuredto cause, in response to selection of the chicken coop option by userinput received via the user interface, the chicken coop entity to bedisplayed on the display. One example of a chicken coop entity is shownin FIG. 29b . The at least one processor is configured to cause thedisplay to display for the chicken coop entity, three options 1330 a, band c. Each of these options is associated with item making option. Inthis example, the item is an egg. Different item making options willprovide different types of egg.

There may be more or less than three item making options. The itemmaking options may correspond to respective production slots.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for each of thethree options, if that item making option is available or not. The atleast one processor may be configured to cause the display to displayinformation for one or more of the options indicating if the respectiveoption is currently available for selection by a user or not. In theexample shown in FIG. 29b , options 1330 a and 1330 b are available forselection and option 1330 c is not available for selection. The at leastone processor may be configured to cause an option which are availablefor selection in a visually distinct manner from an option which is notavailable for selection.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine for anavailable item making option an amount of time which it would take tomake the item. The at least one processor may be configured to causeinformation about the amount of time to be displayed. In the exampleshown in FIG. 29b , the amount of time 1332 is displayed. This is theamount of time it would take to provide the item once that item makingoption is determined to have been selected by the at least oneprocessor. The at least one processor may determine that the respectiveitem making option has been selected in response to user input receivedvia the user interface.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine for anavailable item making option an amount of time and/or in-game currencyamount and/or number of gems which would be required to reduce the time(possibly to zero) for providing the item. The at least one processormay be configured to cause information about the in-game currency amountor number of gems to be displayed on the display. In the example shownin FIG. 29b , the number of gems 1334 is displayed. This is the numberof gems that would be required to immediately provide the item once thatitem making option is determined to have been selected by the at leastone processor.

The at least one processor is configured to cause the display to displayone or more egg to be made options 1336. It should be appreciated thatthe user may be able to select via user input received via the userinterface one of a plurality of different egg to be made options. One ormore of the plurality of different egg to be made options may beunavailable to the user. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if an egg to be made option is available for selection by theuser or not. The at least one processor may be configured to cause anegg to be made option which is unavailable to be displayed in a visuallydistinct manner to one which is available.

In some embodiments, certain eggs may be associated with certainproduction slots. In other embodiments, any egg may be generated in anyproduction slot.

In some embodiments, a given production slot may be capable of producing(at different times) two or more different eggs.

In some embodiments, a production slot may provide two or more eggs atthe same time.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause scrolling throughthe one or more eggs to be made options in response to user inputreceived via the user interface.

For a currently selected one of a plurality of different egg to be madeoptions, the at least one processor is configured to cause the displayto display an amount of time 1338 required to make the egg. This may bethe same as the time displayed in relation to the correspondingavailable egg making option. The at least one processor is configured tocause the display to display information 1340 about the one or more theresources required to make the currently selected egg. This informationmay comprise the one or more resources and/or the number of therespective resources. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if all the required resources to make the current egg areavailable and to cause the display to display an indication to the userif they have the required number of each resource. In the event thatthere are not enough of one or more of the required resources, the usermay go on one or more collection runs such as previously discussed.

To make an egg may require an available egg option to be selected byuser input and to be dragged by the user input to the corresponding oneof egg making options. This may only be permitted by the at least oneprocessor when all the required resources are available. The at leastone processor is configured to provide the egg after the associated eggmaking time or immediately if the gem option is selected by the user.

Some embodiments may allow resource to be collected in a collection run.Those resource may be used to make a refined item. The refined items maybe used, optionally with collected resources to make further items.

Reference is made to FIG. 12a which schematically shows an example of apath 422 for a run. This may be for a collection run. In otherembodiments, this may alternatively or additionally be for a battle. Thepath may have one or more branching paths. When a character takes abranching path, that branching path will lead back a main path. By wayof example only, at point 424 on the path, the user has the option ofguiding the character along the main path as indicated by arrow 426 oralong the branching path as indicated by arrow 428. If the user guidesthe character along the branching path, the character will at the end ofthe branching path re-join the main path. In some embodiments, thecharacter may be able travel along the same part of the path more thanonce. The user provides user input via the user interface. In responseto this user input, the at least one processor cause the character tomove along the path.

In some embodiments, the path will have an exit or end point. In someembodiments, the end of the path may allow the character to return tothe base. In some embodiments, the end of the path may be represented bya portal or gate or the like. When the character passes through thegate, the at least one processor is configured to cause the character tobe returned to the base.

The path may be provided with one or more indicators to guide the userto the exit or end point. In this regard reference is made to FIG. 12b .In this example, the indicator is provided by a sign which will indicateto the player which branch of the path to take if he wants to reach theend point or exit of the run.

Reference is made to FIG. 13. In this example, the character is beingguided along the main path 432. There is a branch path 430 and acontinuation 434 of the main path. In this example, the branch path islocked. This means that the user is unable to guide the character alongthe path until that path is unlocked.

The path may be unlocked until the at least one processor has determinedthat a as “key” which unlocks that path has been obtained. In someembodiments, the path will be unlocked for a given period of time. Atimer may be started when the path is unlocked. The time may control thelength of time for which the path is available. In some embodiments, theat least one processor is configured to determine that the timer hasexpired or reached a predetermined time. In response, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause the path to be locked.

Whilst that path is unlocked, the at least one processor is configuredto allow user input provided via the user interface by the user to guidethe character along that path.

By way of example only, a path may be unlocked for 24 hours. This is byway of example only and a path may alternatively be unlocked for more orless than 24 hours.

In some embodiments, there is unlimited access to that path within thegiven period of time.

In some embodiments, this path may have unique resources and/or gems.

In some embodiments, this path may have relatively rare resources and/orgems.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toallow the user to unlock the path with a key. The key may be obtained inany suitable manner.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to obtain a key through gameplay. The at least one processor may be configured to determine that theuser has satisfied one or more criteria by playing the game and inresponse provide a key.

In some embodiments, the key may be an item. That item may be created aspreviously described.

In some embodiments, the user may be able to purchase a key. Thispurchase of the key may be with in-game currency or real currency. Thismay be from the shop of the base of FIG. 2b , for example.

In some embodiments, one or more runs may have a locked path. In someembodiments, each run may have a locked path. In some embodiments, oneor more runs may have two or more locked paths.

Once the resources have been collected on the unlocked path, the atleast one processor may be configured to provide more resources on theunlocked but only after a period of time, such as previously described.This may be referred to as reseeding of resources. Different types ofresources may be associated with different reseeding times. Theresources may be continually provided. Alternatively, a given amount ofthe resources need to be collected before new resources can be provided.

This means that the user is encouraged to revisit the unlocked pathwithin the time period. In some embodiments, it is not possible for thecharacter to collect all the resources available on the unlocked path ina single run. This may because the resources are provided in adjacentlanes adjacent one another and/or because one or more lanes go up alevel and/or one or more lanes go down a level and/or unlocked pathitself has one or more branch paths.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display information for the user as to the numberof items that have been collected on the unlocked path.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display information for the user as to the numberof items that have not yet been collected on the unlocked path. This maybe updated in dependence on the progress of the reseeding.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display information for the user indicating theamount of time until one or more of the resources are reseeded.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display information about the one or more timersassociated with reseeding of one or more resources may be displayed onthe display.

In some embodiments, in response to user input provided via the userinterface by the user, the at least one processor may able to speed upthe rate at which new resources are provided. This may be by using ingame currency, hard currency or by game play.

In response to user input provided via the user interface by the user,the at least one processor may be able to cause a timer to speed up orto be skipped in order to provide extra resources more quickly. Thereseeding time may thus be shortened.

Alternatively or additionally, in response to the user input providedvia the user interface by the user, the at least one processor may beable to upgrade a reseeding object which produces or generates theresources, so it provides the resources more quickly.

In some embodiments, an in-game shop may be provided, and the key may beobtained from this shop.

In some embodiments, the user is not able to immediately obtain a key.The user may need to satisfy one or more game criteria. For example, theuser may have acquired a given number of gems. When the user hassatisfied the one or more game criteria, the at least one processor maybe configured to provide the key.

In some embodiments, each locked path may have a unique key. In otherembodiments, one or more paths may share the same key or the same typeof key. In response to a user input received via the user interface touse the key or unlock the path, the at least one processor is configuredto determine if the path can be unlocked with the key and if so to causethe locked path to be unlocked.

In some embodiments, the validity of the key starts from when it isobtained. In other embodiments, the validity of the key starts from whenthe key is deployed. When at least one processor determines that theperiod associated with the key expires, the at least one processor isconfigured to lock the path such that the character will no longer haveaccess to the associated path.

In some embodiments, there may be some limitation on the number of timesa key can be obtained and/or used on a given path.

In some embodiments, there may be a limitation on the frequency at whichthe key can be obtained. For example, the same key may not be obtainedwithin 24 hours or any other suitable time period.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toallow the user only to deploy one key at a time. In other embodiments,the at least one processor may be configured to allow the user to deploya plurality of keys at the same time.

In this embodiment a key is the object which is used to unlock the path.It should be appreciated that this is by way of example. In otherembodiments any other suitable object may unlock the path.

In some embodiments, the key may be omitted so that a path is simplyunlocked. This may be in response to the at least one processordetermining that at least one criteria has been satisfied.

In some embodiments, instead of being a locked part of a run which isunlocked with a key, a whole run may be available only if a key such aspreviously described is used to unlock the run.

As shown in FIG. 13, a path to be unlocked is provided. By way ofexample only, the path may be located adjacent to or close to theentrance to the run. However, in other embodiments, the path to beunlocked may be provided in any suitable location. As can be seen fromFIG. 13, the at least one processor may be configured to cause thedisplay to display a path which is locked with a key indication.

When the user has the key, the at least one processor may be configuredto cause the display to display an animation which may optionally showthe key being used to unlock the path.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tounlock the path automatically when the user runs close to the lockedpath.

In other embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured todetermine that one or more actions have been performed and in responseto cause the path to be unlocked. The one or more actions may be duringthe run and/or before the run is started.

The path which has been unlocked may have a higher density of resourcesas compared to the rest of the path of the run.

The path which has been unlocked may have an exit onto a main path orother path of the run.

In some embodiments, the path which is unlocked may designed to be suchthat it is harder for the character to die.

In some embodiments, it may require two or more runs by the character onthe unlocked path to collect all the resources as previously discussed.

As mentioned previously, some embodiments allow the purchase of a keyfrom base entity which provides an in-game shop. In other embodiments, aseparate purchasing area or option may be provided for purchasing ingame items.

Reference is made to FIGS. 14a to c which shows a series of screenswhich the at least one processor causes the display to display as theuser purchases a key from the shop.

The first screen is shown in FIG. 14a and represents the availability ofthe shop 440 to the user for one or more keys 442. This shop may be abase entity and needs to be unlocked. In other words, the at least oneprocessor has to determine that the user has satisfied the criteria inorder to be permitted to purchase one or more keys from the shop. In theevent that the user has not satisfied the criteria, the at least oneprocessor causes the display to display the screen shown in FIG. 14awith an indication that the shop is unavailable for the user.Optionally, the at least one processor may be configured to cause thedisplay to display an indication of the criteria (for example number ofgems) required to unlock the shop.

The user may provide a user input select the key option 442 asrepresented schematically in FIG. 14a or the shop itself.

FIG. 14b shows the screen displayed by the display when the at least oneprocessor determines that user input received via the user interface hasselected the key option 442 or the shop itself. This the at least oneprocessor may cause the display to display an indication as to whichkeys are available for which runs and the associated costs. In theexample shown in FIG. 14b , there are two keys 444 and 446 which areavailable for purchase. For each available key, information isdisplayed. This information may comprise one or more of the run withwhich the key is associated, the resources which can be collected on thelocked path, the cost associated with the key and the length of time forwhich the key will be valid.

The at least one processor causes the display to display those keys 448and 450 which are not yet available to be displayed in a visuallydistinct manner. The at least one processor may cause the display todisplay those keys with information indicating the criteria for makingthe keys potentially available.

Reference is made to FIG. 14c which shows the screen displayed by thedisplay when the at least one processor determines that user inputreceived via the user interface has caused the second key 446 to bepurchased. When the key is purchased, the area associated with the keywill be updated to indicate the amount of time left for which the key isvalid. This may replace the cost information previously displayed.

When there is an active key(s), the at least one processor cause thedisplay to display an icon to indicate its existence. This icon may beprovided on a game world map, and/or or collection run screen and/or inany suitable way. This will allow the players to identify and/ornavigate to a collection run with an unlocked run or a run which can beunlocked.

In some embodiments, at least one resource and/or at least one item maybe stored in one or more entities in the base. The one or more entitiesmay be storage structures in the base. In the example shown in FIG. 2a ,these resources and/or items may be stored in the silo. When the userselects the silo, the at least one processor cause the display todisplay one of more of the screens of FIGS. 15a to e.

FIG. 15a shows a screen that the at least one processor causes thedisplay to display showing the ingredients 500 that a user hascollected. In particular, this screen shows the number of eachingredient or resources which has been collected. At the bottom of thescreen are three user selectable option areas or buttons. The first userselectable option area or button 502 is for resources (ingredients), thesecond user selectable option area or button 504 is for items (parts)and the third user selectable areas 506 is for craft items (the craftitems are examples of items).

These user selectable option areas or buttons can be used to navigatebetween the screens associated with these different options.

As shown in FIG. 15b , the at least one processor causes the display todisplay information 510 about a resource or ingredient. This may be inresponse to user input to select or highlight a particular resource oringredient. This information may be displayed adjacent the respectiveingredient. The information may comprise information as to how theingredient may be used and/or where the ingredient may be found. Thelatter information may provide information as to the one or more runswhich provide that resource.

FIG. 15c shows the screen that the at least one processor causes thedisplay to display when the second user selectable area 504 for parts(items) 512 is selected by user input received via the user interface.This will show the various parts 512 that have been made from one ormore resources and/or one or more items.

FIG. 15d shows the screen that the at least one processor causes thedisplay to display when the third user selectable area 506 for craftitems is selected by user input received via the user interface. Thiswill show the various tool items that have been made from one or moreresources and/or one or more items. In this example, the user has yet tomake any such tool items.

Reference is made to FIG. 15e which shows an alternative screen that theat least one processor causes the display to display for showing thecontents of a silo. This may be used when the silo is relatively empty.In this example, the resources 520 and the items 522 may be shown on asingle screen.

Some embodiments are configured to provide a social aspect to the game.In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 16. As the character 552controlled by the user runs, that the at least one processor causes thedisplay to display an avatar 550 or the like adjacent each laneindicating another player. The other players may be a social contact ofthe player or may be selected by the game server.

When the character 552 is controlled by the user input received via theuser interface to run through one of the avatars, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause a representation of that selected otherplayer to run with the character. If the character completes the runwith that representation of the other player, the current player and theother player will receive a reward.

The representation of that selected other player may provide someprotection for the current character. If that representation is used toprotect the player, then that representation will no longer run with thecharacter.

A player or character may be provided with a mask 551. The mask which aplayer or character has can have a plurality of different levels. Themore that a player plays the game, the higher the level of the mask insome embodiments.

In some embodiments, the representation of the other player may be inthe form of the mask 551 of that player.

If a player completes a run with the mask of the other players, thereward of at least one of the player and the other player may bedependent on a level associated with the mask of the current playerand/or the other player.

In some embodiments, different rewards will be provided to the currentplayer and the other player.

In some embodiments, the reward provided to the current player will bebased on the level of the mask of the other player.

Reference is made to FIG. 21. In some embodiments, at the beginning of acollection run, the at least one processor causes the display to displaya character 702 associated with another player at the beginning of a runand/or a message 704. The at least one processor causes the display todisplay an invitation for the player to reward or pay the other playerfor help from the character of the other player. In the event that theother player is paid or rewarded for help, the character of that otherplayer will be controlled by a game bot to collect items for the player.The character of the other player may run ahead of the character of theplayer.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may cause, in responseto user input via the user interface, by the player paying of the otherplayer with in-game currency or provide any other suitable reward. Thismay be facilitated by the game server.

In some embodiments, the other player may belong to the same clan as theplayer. In some embodiments, the other player may be a social contact orfriend of the player.

In some embodiments, the other player may receive one or more messagesindicating that their character is helping out another character. Forexample, the other player may receive a message when the player selectsthe offer for help. The other player may receive a message with areward. In some embodiments, the reward may be provided at the being ofthe run. At least one message may comprise information identifying theplayer.

In some embodiments, the player may receive the offer for help inresponse to the other player causing an offer for help to be sent.

In some embodiments, as mentioned previously, the character of a playermay belong to a particular clan. This may be a clan to which thecharacter is assigned by the game server or may be a clan which the userhas selected. This may for example be a clan comprising one or more ofthe social contacts of the user. The user may be able to navigate to aclan area by selecting the user selectable option area or button 32 inFIG. 2 b.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the character of the player to race against or with one or moreother characters. This may be in a so-called team run.

In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 17a . As can be seen in thisFigure, the character of the user is referenced 600. This character 600is shown as racing against two other characters 602 and 604. In thisexample, the racing characters have the same or similar appearance andan avatar 599 is displayed in association with all of the racingcharacters or in association with the racing characters other than thatcontrolled by the player of the game. The avatar may for example bedisplayed above the head of the character.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toreceive via the user interface a user input to control the appearance ofthe character. In response the at least one processor is configured tocontrol the appearance of the user's character displayed on the displayduring the team race.

Reference is made to FIG. 17b . In this example, each of the characters600, 602 and 604 has a different appearance. In this example, theadditional avatar of FIG. 17a is not displayed. The appearance of theuser's character may be controlled by the at least one processor inresponse to user input. Alternatively the at least one processor may beconfigured to control the appearance of the user's characterindependently of user input.

These different characters in the team race may belong to one or moredifferent clans or teams. In some embodiments, the different charactersmay be within the same clan or team as the character controlled by theuser.

In some embodiments, the at one processor is configured to causeinformation 601 (See FIG. 17a ) to be displayed on the display whichprovides information on each of the characters in the team race andtheir relative position in the race. The information may be displayed inany suitable location on the display.

Reference is made to FIG. 17c which shows an example of this information601. The information is determined by the at least one processor and theat least one processor is configured to cause the information to bedisplayed on the display. The at least one processor may be configuredto update the information during the race and the at least one processoris configured to cause the display to display the updated information.

This information may comprise an avatar 603 for each of the players inthe race. It should be appreciated that alternatively or additionallythe information about the racing characters may be provided by the nameof the player. The name of the player may be the actual name of theplayer and/or the name used by the player when playing the game.

It should be appreciated that in the example of FIG. 17a , theinformation shown may comprise the avatar which is displayed above theracing character.

In the example of FIG. 17b , the information displayed may be that shownin FIG. 17c and comprise an avatar based on the racing characters. Forexample, the avatar may comprise a head of the respective racingcharacter.

The information 601 indicates the position of each of the characters inthe race. The at least one processor is configured to update theposition information for the players during the game and to control thedisplay to display the updated position information. In this example,this position information is indicated by a number 605. Thus the playerin first place is indicated by the number 1, the player in second placeis indicated by the number 2 and the player in third place in indicatedby the number 3.

The placing may be dependent on a number of points accumulated or ascore. The placing may be dependent on the order in which the characterslose their life in the run with the last character to lose their lifebeing placed first.

In some embodiments, the avatars are displayed in a placing order. Forexample the avatars may be displayed with the avatar in first place atthe top of a list and so on. In this example, the at least one processoris configured to cause the displayed position of the avatars to changeas the placing of the players changes during the race. In someembodiments, where the avatars are displayed in a placing order, theplacing number may optionally be omitted.

In other embodiments, the order in which the avatars is displayed may bethe same throughout the race with the position of a player beingotherwise indicated, for example with a numeric indication such as aplacing number.

In some embodiments, when one of the other characters has died duringthe race, the at least one processor is configured to cause theinformation which is displayed to indicate this. In the example shown inFIG. 17c , the avatar 607 of the character who has died is representedby a skull. In other embodiments, the avatar of the character that hasdied may have a cross and/or may be greyed out and/or may be removedfrom the displayed information.

Reference is made to FIG. 17d which shows a screen which is displayed onthe display where a player is not in a team. The at least one processormay be configured to receive a user input via the user interfaceindicating that the user wishes to take part in a team race. Inresponse, the at least one processor is configured to determine if thecharacter is already part of a team. If not, the at the at least oneprocessor is configured to control the display to display a selectablearea or button 606 inviting the character to join a team. The at leastone processor may be configured, in response to the button 606 beingselected by user input received via the user interface, to cause a teamto be found for the user's character. This may result in the at leastone processor causing the sending of one or more messages to the gameserver and the receiving of one or more messages from the server. Themessage exchange may cause the user device to be provided withinformation about the other characters in the race and information abouttheir progress in the race.

In some embodiments, a team may be automatically allocated to the user.In some of these embodiments, the finding of a team option shown in FIG.17d will be omitted.

In some embodiments, information about a team for the user to race maybe already stored in the memory. This information may includeinformation about the other characters in the race and information abouttheir progress in the race.

In some embodiments, the different characters may be provided by gamebots based on real game play by the associated characters controlled byrespective different users. The team runs may be asynchronous runs withthe player's character racing against the game bots providing the othercharacters in the race. The game bot information may be transmitted tothe user device by the game server.

In some embodiments, the characters against which the player races maybe controlled by game code. That game code may be controlled to providea variety of different entities and/or a plurality of differentperformances in the race to provide variety when the team run option isrepeated.

In other embodiments, the race may be a real time race with thedifferent characters being controlled by different players on theirrespective devices. The data from each of the respective devices isprovided to the one or more game servers which would then provide therequired race data to each of the other devices.

In some embodiments, the race has no defined end. The race maybe aso-called endless or infinite run. In other words, the character cankeep on running provided that the character does not fail or lose one ormore lives or the like.

The at least one processor may determine that the race had ended whenthe character of the player had died in the race. In some embodiments,the at least one processor may determine that the race has ended withall of the other characters in the race have died apart from thecharacter of the player.

In other embodiments, the race may have a defined end. In someembodiments, the at least one processor may determine that the race hadended when the defined end is reached by one or more of the racingcharacters. In some embodiments, the at least one processor maydetermine that the race had ended earlier than the defined end if thecharacter of the player dies or if all the characters in the race havedied before the end.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocontrol the speed of the characters during the race. This may beindependent of any user input. This is described in more detail later.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to causethe run speed of the characters to increase as the race progresses. Thismay be to allow more skilled players to be more successful in the raceand earn more points and/or rewards. In some embodiments, there may be amaximum run speed.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor will receiver user inputfrom the user via the user interface and the at least one processor usesthis input to control the path of the character and/or how the charactermoves and/or how the character interacts with objects. The at least oneprocessor may be configured to control the movement of the othercharacters in race independently of any user input provided via the userinterface. Thus the player is only able to control his character in therace and not any of the other characters in the race.

In some embodiments, there may be some limitation on when a player ispermitted to take part in a race. For example, a player may be requiredto use one or more tickets or other tokens in order to take part in arace. In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 17e which shows a screenwhich the at least one processor is configured to cause the display todisplay. In this example, the at least one processor causes a userselectable area or button 609 is displayed on the display. This buttonwhen selected by user input received via the user interface will causethe at least one processor to allow the player to take part in a teamrace or run. In some embodiments, this user selectable area will only beprovided when the player has the required ticket(s) or token(s) to takepart in the team race. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if the user has the required one or more tickets and only ifthe user has the required one or more tickets is the button 609 causedto be displayed and/or to be selectable. Thus, in some embodiments, thisuser selectable area will only be selectable when the player has therequired ticket(s) or token(s) to take part in the team race.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display to information indicating that the user hasthe required ticket(s) or token(s) to take part in the team race. In theexample of FIG. 17e , an image of a ticket is displayed on the button609. However it should be appreciated that this is by way of exampleonly and in other embodiments, a different visual representation may beused. The different visual representation may comprise an image and/orone or more words. The visual representation may be displayed at anysuitable location on the screen in addition to or as an alternative toon the button. In some embodiments, this visual indication of the userhas the required ticket(s) or token(s) to take part in the team race maybe omitted and instead may be indicated by the availability of the teamrun option for selection.

One or more tickets or tokens may be obtained through game play and/orby in game purchase and/or may be provided at particular points of thegame and/or may be provided at particular times. By way of example only,a player may be provided with one or more tickets or tokens every day orat some other frequency. Information about one or more tickets which theuser has acquired and not yet used may be stored in memory. Informationabout available tickets may be displayed in response to user inputreceived via the user interface.

In some embodiments, there may be a time limit associated with one ormore tickets or tokens. The at least one processor may be configured tostore in memory for each token or ticket information associated with anexpiry. When the at least one processor determines that the ticket ortoken has expired, that ticket or token will be unavailable for use. Theat least one processor may be configured to determine which one or moretickets or tokens have expired. This may be periodically or when a userprovides an input requesting a team race option. The at least processormay delete expired tickets or tokens from the memory or mark the expiredtickets as expired.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine when a userselects a team option the one or more tickets or tokens which areclosest to expiry. The at least one processor may be configured to causethe one or more tickets or tokens which are closest to expiry to be usedwhen the team race option is selected.

In some embodiments, there may be a limit on the number of tickets whicha user has at one time. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine when a new ticket or token is received if the user has themaximum number of tickets or tokens already. If so the, the at least oneprocessor may be configured to prevent the user from acquiring a furtherticket.

Where the ticket or token is being purchased, the at least one processormay be configured to prevent the user from purchasing that new ticket.

In some embodiments, where a ticket is associated with an expiry, the atleast one processor may be configured to determine the ticket closest toexpiry, delete that ticket and replace that ticket with the new ticket.

In some embodiments, where the limit of tickets or tokens has beenreached, the at least one processor may be configured to cause thedisplay to display a message to the user indicating that they will getno additional tokens or tickets until one or more of the current ticketsare used.

Where a player is able earn tickets or tokens through game play or ingame purchases, the limit may not apply to these tickets or tokens.

It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, there may be nolimit on the number of tickets or tokens that a user can have.

In some embodiments, the use of tickets or tokens may be omitted. The atleast one processor may be configured to receive user input received viathe user interface selecting a team run to allow the user to take partin a team run. In some embodiments, the user is able to take part in ateam run at any time. In other embodiments, there may be one or moreconditions associated with the taking part in a team run which need tobe satisfied. In some embodiments, the team run option is only availablewhen those one or more conditions are satisfied. These one or moreconditions may comprise one or more conditions relating to game playand/or one or more conditions associated with time.

In some embodiments, points and/or other rewards may be earned independence on how long the character controlled by the user survives ascompared to one or more of the other characters. In some embodiments,the points may be dependent on the distance covered by the user'scharacter in the race and/or the length of time for which the user'scharacter survives in the race.

In some embodiments, there may be a reward and/or points awardeddependent on the position of the user's character in the race.

The placing points or reward may be separate to the points dependent onthe distance covered by the user's character in the race and/or thelength of time for which the user's character survives in the race.

The placing points or reward may be added to the points dependent on thedistance covered by the user's character in the race and/or the lengthof time for which the user's character survives in the race.

In some embodiments, as the user's character runs in the team race, teampoints may be accumulated. The tea, points accumulated may beaccumulated by all the characters in the game. Alternatively eachcharacter accumulates its own points. The team points may only be thoseaccumulated by the player's character. The points which are accumulatedmay be added to a team total.

The at least one processor is configured to determine the pointsacquired during the race and to update a points total. This may be donein an iterative manner during the race.

In some embodiments, additional points may be provided in dependence onthe character's position at the end of the race. For example, if theuser's character is first, more points will be awarded than if thecharacter is second or third. It should be appreciated that the extrapoints awarded for final position in the race may be provided only whenthe race is ended, for example when the user's character dies.

The points accumulated may be dependent on a distance run and/or thelength of time for which the user's character survives. Alternatively oradditionally the points may be dependent on one or more actions taken bythe character

In some embodiments, when a speed at which the character runs increases,the at least one processor may be configured to cause the rate at whichpoints are accumulated to be increased.

In other embodiments, even where the speed of the character is notincreased, the rate at which points can be accumulated may be increasedduring the run.

In some embodiments, the run speed may increase on a frame by framebasis. In other embodiments, the run speed may increase more slowly. Therun speed may increase linearly or non-linearly. In the latter case, thespeed may increase stepwise or exponentially.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to controlthe rate of accumulation of points. The at least one processor may beconfigured to initially provide X points per Y time. This may be at aconstant rate. The speed may be increasing in this time period. Thus fora first part of the race, the speed is increasing but the points arebeing accumulated at a first constant rate.

After a predetermined time or when the speed has reached a threshold,the rate at which the points are provided may increase. The rate may beincreased by a multiplier of the initial rate. For example, the rate isincreased to 1.1 X per Y time. Thus the at least one processor maydetermine a current speed and compare the current speed to thethreshold. When the threshold is reached, the at least one processor isconfigured to update the rate at which the points are provided.

This increased rate will be maintained until speed has reached a secondthreshold, and then the rate at which the points are provided will beincreased. The rate may be increased by a multiplier of the initial rateor the modified rate. For example, the rate is increased to 1.2 X per Ytime.

This is repeated. In some embodiments, there may be a cap on the valueby which the points rate may be modified. In other embodiments, the ratecontinues to be increased until the character dies.

In some embodiments, the rate at which points are accumulated mayincrease based on a time or a distance threshold.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause information about the rate at which the points are beingaccumulated to be displayed. For example, information about themultiplier may be displayed.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured todisplay information indicating an increase of the rate at which pointscan be accumulated. In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 17g whichshows an arrow 619 in an upwards direction next to a representation ofthe points. The representation is used to convey to the user that therate at which the points are accumulated had increased. Alternatively oradditionally this may be accompanied by information indicating amultiplier such as previously described.

In some embodiments, while the character is racing the at least oneprocessor is configured to display the number of points accumulated bythe characters.

In some embodiments, the character of the user may collect or destroyone or more resources or objects. The resources may be used such aspreviously described.

In some embodiments, when one or more objects are collected ordestroyed, this may be used to provide extra points. By way of exampleonly, crates may be provided in the team run and when a crate isdestroyed or smashed, this will provide one or more extra points. Insome embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocontrol the display to display a visual indication of the link betweenthe completing of the relevant action with respect to an object and thepoints provided. By way of example only, a visual representation willmove from the track on which the character is running or from thesmashed object to the counter and then the counter is incremented.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display a results screen such as shown in FIG. 17gat the end of the race. The results screen may provide information 611about which character won the race. In this example, the at least oneprocessor is configured to control the display to show a representationof each character and a podium. The position of a character on thepodium is dependent on the position achieved by the character in therace. In this example, the user's character has won the race. Theinformation about the position of the characters in the race may berepresented alternatively or additionally in any other suitable way.

The results screen may display information 613 indicating a number ofpoints provided for the placing of the characters. In the example shownin FIG. 17f , this information may be displayed below the respectivepodium position. This is by way of example only and in otherembodiments, the information may be alternatively or additionally bedisplayed in any suitable way.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to causethe display to display on the results screen a list 615 of informationabout the performance of each of the characters. The list may provideinformation identifying each character. This information may be anavatar and/or the username. The list may provide a total number ofpoints earned in the run for character.

This total number of points may be points for distance run and/or thetime for which the character has run.

Alternatively, this total number of points may be points for distancerun and/or the time for which the character has run and the pointsawarded for final race position.

Alternatively, this total number of points may be points for distancerun and/or the time for which the character has run, the points awardedfor final race position and the points for performing specific actionsin relation to one or more objects

Alternatively, this total number of points may be points awarded forfinal race position.

Alternatively, this total number of points may be points awarded forfinal race position and the points for performing specific actions inrelation to one or more objects

In some embodiments, information about the number of resources collectedmay be displayed.

In some embodiments, information may be displayed about the number ofobjects for which the specified action has been performed. In theexample described, this would indicate the number of crates smashed.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to do another team run. The atleast one processor is configured to cause the display to display on theresults screen a user selectable area or button 617 which when selectedby user input received by via the user interface allows the user to doanother team run.

Where the user selects another team run, the at least one processor maybe configured to cause the display to display on the next results screenan accumulated number of points across the team runs, an accumulatednumber of resources across the team runs and/or the accumulated numberof objects for which the specified action has been performed across theteam runs.

In some embodiments, when a character dies in the team run, the user maybe provided with an opportunity to make an in game purchase which willallow the character to continue to run in the team run. In someembodiments, the number of times which a character can continue in thesame team run after dying may be capped. In some embodiments, the atleast one processor may be configured to cause the display to display aninvitation for the user to make an in game purchase to continue to takepart in the team run. This displayed invitation may comprise informationabout the current rate at which the points are accumulated (this may bethe multiplier previously described) and/or information indicating theposition of the character when he died and/or information about thenumber of points accumulated in the run before the character died.

When a character makes an in game purchase, the at least one processoris configured to restart the race and the user's character is able toresume running in the team run. Those other characters which hadpreviously died remain dead. In some embodiments, the run may beconsidered to be made of segments or chunks. The at least one processormay be configured to determine the segment or chunk of the run in whichthe character died and when an in game purchase is made, the at leastone processor is configured to cause the character to be returned to thebeginning of the segment or chunk in which the character died. Thepreviously collected items in that chunk may be respawned.

The at least one processor is configured to control the displayedcharacter to have the run speed and point accumulation rate that thecharacter had when the character died. The at least one processor isconfigured to control the displayed character to retain the positionthat the character had in the race when the character died with thechance to get into a better position.

The at least one processor is configured to control the displayedcharacter to have a protective item which can be used at least once tosave the character from dying. That protective item may be used only agiven number of times in some embodiments. For example, the protectiveitem may be used only once in some embodiments. In some embodiments, theitem may only be effective against one or more hazards and/or may beineffective or have no effect against one or more hazards.

If the player decides not to make an in game purchase after hischaracter dies, the results screen such as previously discussed isdisplayed.

Reference is made to FIG. 17h which shows a method of some embodiments.

In step C1, the at least one processor is configured to determine that acharacter has satisfied a fail condition. In this example, the failcondition may be the character has died. This may be the result of thecharacter losing a life or where the character has more than one life,all of the available lives being used up.

In step C2, the at least one processor is configured to determine if thecharacter which has satisfied the fail condition is the user's characteror one of the other characters in the team race. In some embodiments,steps C1 and C2 may be part of a single step.

If it is determined that the character is not the user's character, themethod will revert to step C1.

If it is determined in step C2 that the character which has satisfiedthe fail condition is the user's character, the next step is step C3. Instep C3, it is determined by the at least one processor if an option toobtain an extra life is obtained. This may be as previously described.If so, the method will revert to step C1.

If it is determined in step C3 that the extra life option has not beenselected, then the next step is step C4 in which the at least oneprocessor is configured to end the race.

When it is determined by the at least one processor that the race hasended, then the next step is step C5 in which the placing of thecharacters is determined. If it is determined that that user's characteris the only character remaining, then it is determined that the user'scharacter is in first place. In some embodiments, the position of theuser's character is determined based on the number of the othercharacter which have already died when the race is determined to haveended. Where the user's character is the first character to die and/orthere are two or more other entities alive when the user's characterdies, the at least one processor is configured to determining a placingof the other characters based on run information associated with therespective characters. In some embodiments, alternatively oradditionally, the position of the user's character is determined basedon the number of the other character which still alive or have notsatisfied a fail condition when the race is determined to have ended.

In some embodiments, step C4 and C5 may be provided in a single step.

In some embodiments, the at least on processor may be configured tocause the display to display information about the placing in step C6.

In some embodiments, a step may be provided between step C2 and C4. Ifit is determined that all of the other characters in the race have diedother than the user's character, the race may be ended. In otherembodiments, even if the all of the other characters in the race havedied other than the user's character, the race will continue until theuser's character dies.

In some embodiments, at least a part of the score achieved by the user'scharacter during the team run may be used to determine a teamcontribution from that user's character to the team of the user'scharacter. This team score may be all or part of the points acquiredduring the run by the user's character. The team score may be providedby or based on the placing points of the user's character in the runand/or the points acquired by the users' character during the run byrunning and/or the points acquired by the users' character during therun by interacting with one more objects. The team points earned by theuser's character in the team run may be added to the points or score forthat team.

In some embodiments, there may not be a contribution from the othercharacters in the team run to the team score. In other embodiments,there may be a contribution from one or more of the other characters inthe team run to the team score. This contribution may be determined asfor the user's character or in any other suitable way.

In some embodiments the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display the points total for the team including thepoints added by the user's character. The at least one processor may beconfigured to send the user's contribution to the game server and toreceive an updated team score from the server. In other embodiments, theat least one processor may be configured to update the team score on thedevice using a current team score and the user's team score.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause points information about at least one other team to also bedisplayed. The information about the user's team and at least one otherteam may be displayed in a leader board. The information about the oneor more other teams may be received from the game server.

In some embodiments, there may not be any clans or teams, or the racemay be outside the clan format. For example, the character controlled bythe user may race against one or more social contacts of the user or oneor more other players selected by the game server for the competition toget rewards.

The reward may be any suitable reward. The reward may be for the playerand/or the clan of the player.

As mentioned previously, in some embodiments, a character is able toattack an enemy. In some embodiments, a group of players may worktogether against a common enemy in order to defeat that enemy. In someembodiments, the character is controlled to run along a path with otherplayer. In order to defeat an enemy, this requires that the enemy is hitN times where N is greater than one. In some embodiments, the N hits maycome from any of the players. In some embodiments, an enemy may need tobe hit by N different characters where N is greater than 1. The othercharacters may be in the same clan as the character controlled by thecurrent user and/or in a different clan. In some embodiments, thedifferent characters may be not part of any clan structure.

The game play of one or more other player may be provided by a game bot.This game play of one or more other players provided by a game bot maybe based on actual game play by the respective one or more other playeror based on the game play of one or more other players. The actual gameplay done by the different players may take place at different times butthrough the bots, it appears that the different players are playing atthe same time. The game bots may be provided on the server and/or on theuser device.

As mentioned previously, some players may be in a team or clan. A playercan join a team and win rewards in team events such as a team rundescribed previously. A player in a team can win rewards by helpingtheir team to climb a league during a season. A season will be describedin more detail below. When a player joins a team, the player will haveaccess to the team run feature previously described. The player may beable to chat via the game with other members of the team or clan. Aplayer may have an opportunity to show off their achievements andcustomization.

There may be an entry requirement before a player can join or create ateam. For example, a player may need to have a minimum number of powergems or other in game reward or currency. By way of example only, theplayer may need to have a minimum of 5 power gems to join a team.Different teams may have different minimum power gem requirements.

There may be a limit on the number of players in a team. For example,the maximum number of players may be 30 players in a team. In otherembodiments, different number of players may be provided in a team.

Each team member can earn points or trophies by engaging with differentfeatures of the game. A team's points are the accumulated count of allits team members' individual points within a season. The points may bethose points accumulated during the season. The points may additionallyinclude points accumulated in the tease period. (A tease period may beprovided before a season starts).

League rewards may be given out at the end of a season depending on theteam's position in the league. Each team member will get a leaguereward.

The position in the league may determine if a team goes up or down aleague for the next season.

At the end of the season, the team's points is reset to 0.

A team may have a team tag. This is a unique ID provided by gamesoftware when a new team is being created. This unique ID may beprovided by the game server in some embodiments.

The team can be an open team or a search only team Open teams can showup in recommended list for any players; Search only teams can only befound by inputting its tag in the search field. This means that a playercan only join a search only team if the player has the tag. This allowsfriends to play together in teams. The option to be an open team orsearch team is set by the team creator and can be changed by the teamleader or co-leader.

In some embodiments, there may be a power gem requirement in order tojoin a team. Only players that have the required number of power gemscan join the team. Members who have already joined the team may not beaffected if this requirement is changed after a player has joined theteam. The number of power gems may be set by the team creator and can bechanged by the team leader and co-leaders.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information about a list of one or more recommended teams for aplayer who has not joined a team. This may be displayed in a team tab.The information may be displayed in response to user input selecting theteam tab. The information about the recommended teams may be determinedand provided by the game server to user device on which the game isbeing played. The list of recommended teams may be a scrollable list ofteams. A recommended team is one which still has space for new members.The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay more active teams may be displayed first. The at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause inactive teams to be hidden. The atleast one processor may be configured to cause the display to displayteams whose average power gem count which are closest to the player'spower gem count first. In some embodiments, where teams can have aminimum power gem requirement, the at least one processor may beconfigured to cause the display to display only those teams which have apower requirement equal to or lower than the player's current number ofpower gems. A recommended team will be one whose status is set to open.

The list of recommended teams may be at least partially categorised. Byway of example only, the categories may comprise one or more of thefollowing: very active teams—this includes only very active teams;cooperative teams—this show teams with the most daily clan runs (perplayer on average); chatty teams—this show teams with the most dailychat messages (per player on average); and family friendly teams—thiswill show teams where its profanity filter has not been triggered in thelast 30 days (or some other suitable time period).

The at least one server may be configured to determine one or moremetrics for a team. The metric may comprise an activity metric, acooperative metric, a chatty metric, and a family friendly metric. Oneor more of these metrics are used to rank teams in one or morecategories. This determination may be done for all teams or for a set ofpossible teams for a user.

The teams that are recommended in a category may satisfy one or moreother criteria. The teams may for example satisfy one or more power gemcriteria. The teams may be ones which are open with availability for newmembers.

A player can search for a specific team by inputting via the userinterface the team name or team tag (unique ID) in the search field tolook for specific team. This will provide the team which satisfies thesearch criteria.

The user can select by providing user input via the user interface toselect a team in the recommended list or search result, in response theat least one processor is configured to cause the display to display ateam profile screen. The team profile screen such as shown in FIG. 32may show one or more of the following: badge; name; team points, currentrank in the leader board/league; member count; country; tag; activeness;description; list of members; and member information.

The information displayed on the team profile screen may show teammembers sorted according to their point contribution. Characters (withthe costume and poses) of the top 3 or any other suitable number ofmembers in the team may be displayed, as shown in FIG. 32. This may bedisplayed above the member list. The member information may comprise oneor more of rank in the team based on the points contribution, portraitwith the current avatar and costumes, player name, informationindicating when the player was last online, and the player's pointscontribution to the team during the current season.

A player is able join a team immediately if the player does not belongto a team. Otherwise, the player will need to wait until the end of acool down period associated with the leaving of another team, beforebeing able to join a new team.

When a player is leaving a team, information about the team that theplayer is leaving and the new team may be displayed to allow the playerto compare the teams. The information about the teams may comprise oneor more of information about the activeness of each team, the points ofeach team, the league and rank for each team, and the number of players.

Instead of joining an existing team, a player may create their own team.This may require in game currency in some embodiments. If the playeralready belongs to a team, when they access the create team screen, theat least one processor is configured to cause the display to display apopup indicating that the player will need to leave the current teamfirst. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the playerto automatically leave the current team when the new team is created.The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay information indicating that the current points of the player donot move to the new team. The at least one processor may be configuredto cause the display to display a create team screen in response to theplayer selecting an option to continue creating the team.

A new team will start at a guest league which is the lowest league insome embodiments.

The creator of a team can name the team. A team description may beprovided by the creator of the team. A badge can be selected. Thecreator of the team is the team leader. In some embodiments, a playermay have to achieve a certain level in order to be able to create ateam. The players who join the created team may be required to haveachieved a certain level in order to join the team.

The leader of a team can kick players out of a team. The kick functionmay be locked for the last X days of a season, so players will not getkicked out of a team and missed the chance to earn the season's rewards.The team leader can change the team description, the team name andchange the team badge. In some embodiments only the team leader can editand manage the team. Only the team leader can promote other players tobe co-leaders. A leader may edit a location requirement of the player,the player level requirement, and control if the team setting is open orclosed. The location may be a country or any other suitable locationrequirement.

A co-leader may manage the team and may have the same control options asthe team leader. However, a co-leader may not be able to promote ordemote other co-leaders. The other members of the team do not manage theteam.

When a player leaves a team, the points contributed by the player beforeleaving the team remain with the team which is being left. When a playerjoins a new team, their point contribution will start at 0. This may notaffect the points count in the battle pass of the player. In someembodiments, there may be a limit as to how often a player can changeteam. For example a player may only switch team once every 48 hours orany other suitable length of time. In some embodiments, after leaving ateam and before the player can join a new team, there is a cool downperiod. The cool down period may be for example 48 hours or any othersuitable length of time.

A leader can leave the team themselves or may be remove removed by thegame server because of inactivity as will be discussed in more detaillater.

When a player who already belongs to a team tries to join or create anew team, they will be told to leave their current team first.

The player may leave a team by selecting a leave button via user inputin the team profile screen displayed on the display. The at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause the display to display informationindicating that all the contributed points will not carry over to newteam. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the displayto display information indicating that they will lose their chance towin the season's reward without a team. The at least one processor maybe configured to cause the display to display information indicatingthat, if they are in a cool down period for joining new team, theycannot join a new team for the current remaining amount of the time ofthe cool down period. The at least one processor is configured to keeptrack of the cool down period and cause the display to displayinformation indicating how much time there is until the end of the cooldown period.

A leader board may be provided for the teams. An example of such aleader board is shown in FIG. 33. The teams may be split into multipleshards, with 100 (or any other suitable number of teams) teams in eachshard, so each team is competing with 99 other teams. Teams are rankedbased on the total points that their team members have earned during theseason. The at least one processor may be configured to cause thedisplay to display a countdown timer for the current season in theleader board screen. At the end of a season, rewards may be given out toteam members, depending on the final position of their team and whichreward tier that position belongs to. The leader board may be dividedinto multiple reward tiers. At the end of the season, the players willbe rewarded based on the team's rank and which reward tier the team isin.

The game server may be configured such that Inactive teams may not onlybe demoted but also moved all the way to a guest league, together withthe newly created teams.

A player may be able to provide user input to select any team in theleader board to see other teams' profiles. The player may be able tolook at the profiles of individual ones of the teams. The player may beable to join the team if the team is open and the player satisfies thejoining criteria. The player may be able to see the reward earned bythat team.

In some embodiments, the game server may be configured to cause teammembers to get one or more of the following feeds:

new member has joined;

member has been removed from the team; member has left;

member has been promoted to leader (as a result of original leaderleaving the team);

result of the season/event for the team;

member has been promoted to co-leader;

co-leader has been demoted to member; and

free clan run ticket from other member's battle pass purchase.

When a member has purchased a battle pass, clan run tickets will berewarded to each members and can be claimed by each of the other teammembers.

The game may be configured to determine for each team which members areinactive. This may be done on the backend game server or on the computerdevice of the team leader. The team leader may receive a message whichis displayed on the display and which prompts the team leader to removeinactive members. Alternatively, the backend game server may removeinactive members from a team.

Any suitable criteria may be used to determine if a player is inactive.For example, a player may be considered to be inactive if they have notcome online for 14 days or any other suitable time.

In some embodiments, if there is at least one inactive member in theteam, the at least one processor may be configured to cause the displayto display a feed or message for the leader. This may be for example,when the team leader provides user input to access the team feature. Theteam leader may have the option to remove the inactive players from theteam. The at least one processor may be configured to cause the displayto display information to the leader indicating when the inactiveplayers were last online and/or the points provided by those inactiveplayers. The points may be for a current season and/or one or moreprevious seasons. The at least one processor may be configured to causethe display to display a remove button or other user selectable areanext to each inactive player. When this remove button is selected, theat least one processor is configured to cause the inactive player to beremoved from the team. The team leader can choose to remove any one ormore of these players or none at all if they choose to.

For the players who get removed from a team, the at least one processormay be configured to cause the display to display a popup with a messagewill appear when they next launch the game. This message may indicatethat they have been removed from the team and/or indicating that theyshould join a new team.

For an inactive team or a not very active team, each team member may beprovided with a message suggesting that join a new team.

Where a player receives a suggestion to join a new team, the at leastone processor may be configured to cause the display to displayinformation about one or more recommended teams to be displayed. Thismay be in the popup.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toprovide a button or other user selectable area, which when selected byuser input via the user input will cause the display to display the jointeam screen of a recommended team.

In some embodiments, inactive team leaders may be demoted. The inactiveteam leader may be a co-leader of the team. If there is any co-leader(s)in the team, the player who has contributed the most points may be autopromoted as the new leader. If there is no co-leader, the player who hascontributed most points will be auto promoted to leader.

In some embodiments, empty and/or very inactive teams may be removed.

A team will be deleted when there is no more members in the team.

If a team has no member which came online for a full season or otherlength of time, the team may be deleted when that length of time isover.

When a player comes online, after their team has been deleted, the atleast one processor may be configured to cause the display to display amessage indicating that the old team has been disbanded due toinactivity and a suggestion that the player join an active team now towin rewards in the new season

A team may be closed to new players or open to new players. If the teamdoes not have enough members, the at least one processor may beconfigured to cause the display to display a message suggesting that theteam leader change the status of the team to open to allow new playersto join the team. A team leader may send a team tag to other potentialteam members or make the team open to anyone.

A player may need to be in a team to access the team runs describedpreviously. There may be a delay before this team run feature isprovided in a season.

Some embodiments of the computer implemented game may have seasons. Aseason may last for a period of time. The period of time may be theorder of one or more weeks. The season may be divided into episodes. Insome embodiments, a season may have a narrative content which willadvance each episode.

The objective of the player is to earn points or trophies from the coregame features (which are always available) and/or from differentseasonal features that become available during the season. The pointsmay allow the player to win one or more of costumes, trophies and someother items from a team leader board and battle pass. Some rewards maybe unique to a season. For example a particular costume may only beobtained during a particular season. The availability of one or moregame features may change from season to season.

In some embodiments, there may be a gap between seasons. This may be atease period. Points earned in this period may count towards the nextseason and/or may be used by one or events provided between seasons. Inother embodiments, one season may be immediately followed by another.

The display may be controlled to display an icon or widget or the likewhen a season is live. Interaction by the user via the user interfacewith the icon or widget, causes the at least one processor to cause thedisplay to display the menu for the season. The icon may have adifferent appearance for different seasons. The appearance of the iconmay be different for different episodes. Before the start of the seasonthe icon may have a message indicating that the season will startshortly and/or a timer. In some embodiments, information may bedisplayed during the season indicating the remaining time of the season.For example a countdown timer may be provided. At the end of the season,information may be displayed to indicate that the season has ended.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the display todisplay a season menu. The season menu screen can be displayed inresponse to user input, for example tapping on a button or other usableselectable area in a season introduction, a widget associated with theseason or a specific building or location in the base (for example adock). A widget or icon may be displayed on the display for a currentepisode. A widget or in for an episode is removed from the display atthe end of the episode.

The season menu screen may contain one or more of a timer counting downto the end of season; and narrative content such as season name, seasonimage, dialogue, and/or the like. The narrative content may change whenthe new episode of the season has started. The menus may have tabs toprovide a season overview and to show different features in the season.Selection of a tab by user input may be configured to cause the displayto display a respective screen associated with the selected tab.

The overview tab may show all the seasonal features that are availablein the current season, which are separated into multiple sections. Theremay be a get pass section which appears only if the player has not yetpurchased a pass for the season. There may be a pass button or userselectable area, which when selected by user input cause the at leastone processor may to cause the display to the pass purchasing screen.

There may be a point earning feature section. This may have buttons oruser selectable areas for all the point earning features that areavailable in the current season. One of the more buttons may betemporarily locked if not yet available for selection. For example aseason challenge run may only be available starting from episode 3 ofthe current season. If a button for an unavailable feature is selectedor tapped by user input received via the user interface, the at leastone processor is configured to cause information to displayed indicatingwhen the feature will become available.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the display to display information such as “!” or the like inassociation with the button or user selectable area if attentions isneeded from the player.

There may be a reward giving feature section. This may include buttonsor user selectable areas for all the reward giving features that areavailable in the current season. These buttons or user selectable areasmay operate in a similar way to that described in relation to the pointsearning features section.

An information button or user selectable area may be provided in a tabwhich when selected will cause the at least one processor to cause thedisplay to display a help centre's article about the current season.

A battle pass tab may be provided for the battle pass feature. This tabmay be provided only if a battle pass is available for the currentseason. This tab may be accessed through a battle pass button or userselectable areas in the overview tab. Rewards may will be unlockedthrough this feature as the player accumulates points during the season.The battle pass feature is broken down into “episodes”. A player canonly earn all the rewards up to the end of the current episode. Theplayer can only continue the progress when a new episode becomeavailable. A player can see the progress of their friends and teammembers here and/or elsewhere.

A challenge tab may be provided for challenges. The challenges may bedaily challenges or missions or any other challenge.

The tab may only appear if the challenges are available for the currentseason.

This tab may be accessed through a challenges button in the overviewtab. In some embodiments, the challenges may comprise challenge runsand/or time trial challenges. The challenges may only become availableat a later stage of the season in some embodiments. The timing for thedifferent types of challenges may be different. One or more of thesefeatures may optionally only be available if the battle pass has beenpurchased. The challenge may appear to be locked until the pass ispurchased and the challenge has become available in the season.

The dock or other building of the base may be associated with a season.The dock may have 3 different states. There may be an empty state—whenthere is no live season and no tease period for a next season. If thedock is selected by user input information may be displayed to indicatethat a new event is coming soon. There may be an active state for aseason tease (foreshadowing). During the season tease period, if thedock is selected by user input, this will trigger a tease popup. Theremay be an active state for live season. During the active state for thelive season, if the dock is selected by user input, this will triggerthe at least one processor to cause the season menu to be displayed.Reference is made to FIG. 30e which shows an example of a dock of thebase when a season is live. FIG. 30f shows an example of dock of thebase in a season's tease period.

The dock may look different in each season. Each season may have its owndock appearance that matches the narrative or theme of the season.

The points may be earned from core loop features. The points may beearned from the mini-games previously described. The ammo throwing minigame in the boss runs may give out points as a reward and optionallyalso XP. Points may be earned by smashing a certain type of crate in aboss run. Points may be earned by defeating one or more bosses. Forexample, gold and sapphire bosses which only appear when all power gemsgiving gangs are defeated may be defeated to earn points. Points may beearned by selling items in the silo and/or other building of the base.Step points and/or certain ingredients such as Wumpa fruit may beconverted in points. Extra points may be earned by wearing particularcostumes. This is described in more detail later. Points may be earnedfrom season features.

Some ways of earning points may not always be available in a seasonand/or may be unavailable during part of a season. However it should beappreciated that in some embodiments, one or more of these events may bealways available. For one or more features available in a season, theremay be a shortcut button or user selectable area in the season menu's,for example in an overview tab. Some examples of these events which maybe available in a season are given below.

Battle pass platinum boss—beat the boss to earn points. This may only beavailable for those who have purchased the battle pass.

Seasonal challenge run—available for battle pass owner only. Completethe challenge to earn points.

Time trial daily challenge—available for battle pass owner only.Complete the challenge to earn points.

Mission—complete tasks to earn mission tokens. With enough tokens theplayer will receive points as a reward.

Seasonal gang—beat the gang to earn points.

Step point crates in collection runs, smash the crates to earn extrasteps, which can then be converted into points,

The players may also unlock the seasonal rewards with points during theseason from the battle pass. The battle pass owner will be able tounlock both free and premium rewards with points. The battle pass isdivided into multiple “episodes” which will become available one by oneduring the season. The player can only unlock rewards up to the lastreward in all available episodes.

With some missions, the players need to complete different tasks to earnrewards. Information about the tasks may be displayed. Information aboutthe reward associated with each task may be displayed. The rewards maybe used to fill up a reward meter. The reward meter may provide pointsor unlock a next round of the mission. A mission may have a definednumber of rounds. The rounds may be associated with timeavailability—that is when they are scheduled to be potentiallyavailable. A next round may only be accessed if the previous round hasbeen successfully completed. A mission may be associated with a timelimit after which the mission is no longer available. The mission mayhave a start time and an end time. Each round may be scheduled betweenthe start and end times. There may be time gaps between the differentrounds. Different tasks may be associated with different amounts ofpoints. This may be dependent on the difficulty of the task. A difficulttask may be flagged as such to the player. Count down information may bedisplayed indicating when a next mission is available. Count downinformation may be displayed indicating how long until the end of themission.

A separate building may be provided in the base for missions. This maybe represented by a mission board. The player is able to access themissions via the mission board. Reference is made to FIG. 30d whichshows the mission board 905 of the base. The mission board is placednear the dock and works as a shortcut to the mission menu. The missionbard may be on or off depending on if a mission is available or not.

The mission board may be a shared access point for two or more differenttypes of mission. When either type of mission is available, the missionboard appears in an ON state. When tapped or otherwise selected by userinput, the mission menu for the mission last exited is displayed. Thiswill depend on which menu the player last exited from. The menus' stateis stored to support this feature. When both types of mission are notavailable, the mission board will appear in the OFF state. Tapping on(or otherwise selecting) the OFF state mission board may send the playerto a mission screen with empty state.

The mission board may have information which is displayed to indicatethat the new mission feature has become available and that new featurehas not yet been checked out by the player. The mission board may haveinformation which is displayed to indicate that a task in the missioncan be completed

A player will see his point contribution to the current team. This maybe in a team features. This may also be shown in a building in the basefor points or trophies. The appearance of the building may change independent on the number of points or trophies.

FIG. 31a shows the trophy building in a state where there is no season.FIG. 31b shows the trophy building when the season has started and thebuilding is empty. The building has a different appearance in FIG. 31bas compared to FIG. 31a . FIG. 31c shows the trophy building with sometrophies 911 during the season. FIG. 31d shows the appearance of thetrophy building 910 when the player goes back to the base after earningsome trophies. A visual indication 912 is provided to indicate thefilling up of the trophy building with trophies. Depending on the numberof trophies earned, the building may be updated to the next level. Thetrophy building will go back to the state of FIG. 31a at the end of theseason.

When a player leave the team, the points already contributed to thecurrent team will not carry over to the new team. The trophy building inthe base will change to reflect that the player has gone back to 0points. This may also be the case at the end of the season. The playerwill accumulate points even when the player is not in a team. As soon asthe player joins a team, those points contribute to the new team'spoints.

In some embodiments if the user taps on the trophy building, the atleast one processor is configured to cause the trophy screen shown inFIG. 31e to be shown. This will show the event name and the countdowntimer 913 a. The screen shows the total trophies 913 b that has beenearned since the beginning of the current season/event and a break down913 c of where they are earned form. The screen may show where 914 chighest end rewards for the current event that can be earned. A button914 d or user selectable area that links to the current season or eventscreen is provided,

The points earned can be used both for the team contribution and thebattle pass at the same time. The points can be used on both placeswithout affecting the other. Earned points will charge up the rewardmeter in the battle pass. Those same points will go towards to thepoints total of the team. The battle pass will be divided into multiplesections, and will become available on specific date. Points which areearned when there is no available section will not be counted in thebattle pass. After a section is available for the player, any earnedpoints will be stored temporarily (and optionally not displayed anywhereuntil the player access the battle pass). When the player access thebattle pass, these temporarily stored points will be counted into thebattle pass.

The reward meter is charged up by the points and the reward meter can beused to unlock rewards in the battle pass.

There may be one or more events between seasons which may make use ofthe earned points.

At the end of the season, X mins may be allowed for the event to beconcluded. X may be any suitable value such as 10 to 15 minutes. Forthose players who have already started a team run, they will continuetheir run, and the points earned in these runs will count for theseason. However the team run feature will turn off, so a new team runcannot be started during this X mins. This may also be the case for bossruns, challenge runs or any other features which has been started butnot completed. In the case of a completing challenge run, there will beno retry option.

For the non season features, the player can start runs, pick costume andplay the mini game as usual. If the run ends within this X minutes, thepoints earned will be counted for the current season. Otherwise thepoints will be counted for next season/event.

A widget may be provided when a season is live. The widget may bedisplayed on the screen for the base. The widget may provide informationabout the remaining time of the season. Alternatively or additionally,the widget may provide information about a current season. In someembodiments, the widget may be displayed before the season starts as aseason tease. The widget may for example say “soon” or a similar phrase.The widget may indicate that the season has ended during the wrap upperiod which is described in more detail later.

The at least one processor may be configured to trigger a season teasepopup when the player is in the base for the first time after the teaseperiod has started. The season tease pop up may comprise one or more ofa countdown to the start of the upcoming season, a season name, andinformation of rewards for the upcoming season. The pop up mayoptionally have a button to access the battle pass purchase screen onlyif such a pass has not been purchased yet. The pop up may optionallyhave a button to access the team leader board, where the player can seetheir preseason points accumulating. The pop up may optionally have abutton to access a join team screen.

The at least one processor may be configured to trigger a season startpopup when the player is in the base for the first time after the teaseperiod has started. The season start popup may be accessed via thewidget. The season start pop up may comprise one or more of a countdownto the end of the season, a season name, and rewards for the season. Thepop up may optionally have a button to access the battle pass purchasescreen only if such a pass has not been purchased yet. The pop up mayoptionally have a button to access the season menu.

Tapping on the widget or the dock during wrap will trigger a wrap uppopup.

After the wrap up, the season will be concluded, the at least oneprocessor is configured to cause an end of season pop up to bedisplayed. This end season pop up may be displayed when the player is inthe base for the first time after the event is over.

If the player belongs to a team, the pop up may comprise rewardinformation. This may show one or more of information if the team getpromoted to the next league, remain in the same one or demoted, a finalrank of the team in the season and the rewards for the rank. The pop mayhave a reward button which when selected by the player causes the teamreward to be provided. The pop up may be prevented from closing unlessthe rewards are claimed.

If the player does not belong to a team, the pop up may indicate thatthat did not get a reward as they did not belong to a team and/or a jointeam button which when selected takes the player to the join teamscreen.

Reference is made to FIGS. 30a to 30c which show an example of achallenge or quest. FIG. 29a shows example challenge which comprisesthree tasks 900 a, 900 b, and 900 c. In other embodiments, otherchallenges may comprise a different number of tasks. The number of tasksmay be one or more.

The at least one processor is configured to determine for each task, theprogress of each task. The at least one processor is configured todetermine when the challenge is started and to determine the progress ofeach task after that time. In other word, actions of a player prior tothe start of the challenge will not count as progress towards thecompletion of the challenge. For example, for a task that a playercompletes a particular collection run, the at least one processor isconfigured to determine if the collection run has been completed and ifso to store information indicating that the task has been completed.Where the task is to make a given number of a particular serum, the atleast one processor is configured to maintain a count on how much serumhas been made and/or how much serum is still be made. Where the task isto break a given number of crates, the at least one processor isconfigured to maintain a count of the number of crates which have beenbroken and/or how many crates are still to be broken.

As shown in FIG. 30a , the at least one processor is configured tocontrol the display to display progress of each of the tasks. The firsttask 900 a which is to go only a collection run in a particular worldhas been completed. The second task 900 b which is to make 5 batches ofa particular serum. The at least one processor has determined that twobatches have been made and is configured to control the display todisplay this information. This may be shown using a progress bar. Thethird task 600 c is to break a given number of crates. The at least oneprocessor has determined that 10 crates have been broken and isconfigured to control the display to display this information. This maybe shown using a progress bar.

The display may be controlled to display the rewards 901 which will beobtained when the challenge is completed.

Reference is made to FIG. 30b . The at least one processor is configuredto determine that all of the tasks have been completed and is configuredto control the display to display information indicating this. In thisexample, the tasks which are completed are shown with a tick and/or witha completed progress bar. The at least one processor is furtherconfigured to control the display to display a user selectable option902. When the user provides input via the user interface to select thisoptions, which may be provided by a button or user selectable area, theuser is able to claim the rewards provided by the completion of thechallenge. The user will then be able to use the claimed rewards. The atleast one processor may be configured to cause the reward option to bedisplayed on the display only when the tasks have all been completed.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the screen shown in FIG. 30b to be displayed when the tasks arecompleted. For example, if the player is in the base, the screen shownin FIG. 30b is automatically displayed.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured toprevent the user from navigating to a different screen to that shown inFIG. 30b unless the user has collected the rewards for completing thechallenge.

Reference is made to FIG. 30c which shows the base. As can be seenwidgets are displayed.

A widget 903 for a challenge may be provided. When this widget isselected by user input, this may provide the screen such as shown inFIG. 30a . Alternatively, or additionally the widget may comprisesummary information indicating which tasks have been completed. Thewidget may be displayed at the beginning of a challenge and whenselected this may start the challenge. In some embodiments, a challengemay be automatically started or may be started in any other suitablemanner. The widget may be displayed differently depending on whether theassociated challenge is available or not. In some embodiments, thewidget may be removed from the display at the end of a challenge. Theappearance of the widget may be modified to glow and/or bounce when thechallenge has been completed.

The widget 904 associated with another challenge or event is shown withtime information. This time information may indicate the amount of timeremaining to complete the challenge. Alternatively or additionally thetime information may indicate the time until the challenge is available.

Some embodiments may alternatively or additionally have a counterdisplayed on the display indicating the progress of a respective task.

The example challenges may be daily challenges. In one example of adaily challenge, the player is provided with a day to complete the oneor more tasks of a challenge.

In another example, there may be no time limit for completing a dailychallenge. However, no new daily challenge may be provided until acurrent challenge has been completed.

A new challenge may be provided every day provided that the playersatisfies any associated conditions to receive such a challenge. If aplayer completes the daily challenge for n consecutive days, then theplayer may earn extra rewards. The player will earn extra rewards if thechallenge is completed and the challenge has been completed for a numberof consecutive days. If the player fails to complete a challenge, therewards may be lost. The extra rewards can be claimed when a challengehas been successfully completed or rolled over to the next challenge.

If a player has an uncompleted challenge but continues to play the game,the player may continue with the incomplete challenge.

If the player has not played the game for a given amount of time, theincomplete challenge may be discarded. The player may be provided with anew challenge. The given amount of time may be any suitable amount oftime. For example the given amount of time may be a week.

In the above example, the challenge is a daily challenge. However, inother embodiments, the player may be provided with a different frequencyof the challenges. The different frequency of challenges may be morethan a day or less than a day.

In some embodiments, there may be an amount of time to complete thechallenge. The amount of time to complete the challenge may be differentto the regularity of the challenges.

For example the challenges may be provided daily but the user has onlyfor example, 3 hours (or any other suitable amount of time) to completethe challenge. This may be defined from when the challenge first starts.

In another example, weekly challenges may be provided but thosechallenges may need to be completed within a given time frame. Forexample a weekly challenge may be provided at the beginning of everyweekend and that weekly challenge needs to be completed by the end ofthe weekend.

A challenge may have one or more trigger conditions. When the one ormore trigger conditions are satisfied, the challenge may be provided.

In some embodiments, there may two or more different types of challenge.In some embodiments, only one challenge may be active at a time. Forexample, there may be daily challenges and other types of challenge. Nodaily challenge may be available while the player is doing a differentchallenge. In other embodiments, a player may have two or morechallenges which are yet to be complete and which are ongoing at thesame time.

In some embodiments there may be a task pool and the one or more tasksfor a challenge may be selected from the task pool. The tasks may beselected randomly from the task pool. There may be one or conditionsassociated with the selection of a task. Each task may be associatedwith one or more power gem PG requirements. The task may be associatedwith a minimum power gem requirement and/or a maximum power gemrequirement. The task can only be selected if the number of power gemswhich the player has satisfies the tasks one or more power gemrequirements. For example:

-   -   Task min PG requirement<Player's PG<max PG requirement

In some embodiments, the tasks may fall into different categories. Insome embodiments, there may be a limit on a number of tasks from a givencategory. The limit may be 1 or any other suitable number

One or more tasks may have one or more other conditions. The conditionassociated with a task needs to be fulfilled in order for that task tobe selected. If a task has special condition, it will also need to befulfilled to be picked. The at least processor is configured todetermine if a task has been completed. The at least one processor isconfigured to keep track of each task and update the progress of eachtask.

Each task has a reward. The rewards provided by a challenge may comprisethe rewards from each of the selected tasks.

The tasks may be selected from one or more:

Do a collection run on specific land—It will be marked as completed whenthe player ends the run by going to one of the level's exits. Quittingruns through an end game purchase or a pause menu does not count as asuccessful completion of the task.

Make x specific serum—It will be marked as completed when it is producedand collected from the production building. X can be any suitable number

Defeat a specific boss/henchmen—It will be marked as completed when theboss is defeated, quitting run without defeating the boss does not countas a successful completion of the task.

Earn x Power Gem—It does not matter which boss or henchmen has beendefeated to earn the power gems. X can be any suitable number

Upgrade a specific production building in the base—It will be marked ascompleted when the building is upgraded with new type of items becomingavailable. Buying a new production slot does not count as a successfulcompletion of the task.

Buy a new slots for a specific lab or coop—It can be additionalproduction slots in any labs or chicken coop.

Repair a specific building in the base—Fix a building that is in itsruined or basic state. It can be any building in the base, includinglabs, farming buildings and specialized buildings.

Collect x chill berries from a specific land/Island—It can be collectedover multiple runs. A counter goes up as soon as a berry is collected.Dying or quitting a run will not affect this counter. If a land/islandis specified in the task, the counter will only count those that arecollected in the land/island. X can be any suitable number

Collect x free offers from vending machine—Collect a free offer from thein game shop. X can be any suitable number.

Join a Team—this task will only be given if the player is not in a team.As long as the player joins a team this task is completed. Whateverhappens next (quit team/get kicked) will not undo this task.

Play team run x times—Counter increase as soon as a run has started. Xcan be any suitable number.

Collect x rewards from battle pass or any other pass—Both free andpremium rewards may count. E.g. tier 1 has 1 free and 1 premium reward,collecting these will be counted as 2 rewards. X can be any suitablenumber

Earn a total of x Trophies or points—Start counting once the challengehas started, it can be earned from any features. X can be any suitablenumber

Complete a specific time trial level—Regardless of the time result orfailure to get to the end of the level, it will count as long as theplayer has started the level.

Complete a specific challenge run level—Regardless of the run result(fail to smash all crates or get to the end of the level), it will countas long as the player has started the level.

Break x crates—it counts all types of crates in any run. X can be anysuitable number

Get x Wumpa fruits—it counts Wumpa fruits collected in any run. Wumpafruits rewarded from level up, buying packs or any other situation thatis outside of a run will not count towards as a successful completion ofthe task. X can be any suitable number

When a new challenge is available, the at least one processor isconfigured to determine if the player is currently playing the game. Ifso, the at least one processor is configured to display a pop upindicating the availability of a new challenge. This pop up may bedisplayed when the player first goes to the base after the new challengeis available. If the player is not currently playing the game, the atleast one processor is configured to cause the pop up indicating theavailability of a new challenge to be displayed when the player providesan input to launch the game.

Reference is made to FIG. 22a . In some embodiments, the player is ableto select for his character 706 one of a plurality of different costumes708. In some embodiments, if a character wears a specific costume for aspecific battle run, the player may be able to earn one or moreadditional points or rewards. In some embodiments, the one or moreadditional points or rewards may be clan points. In some embodiments,the user is able to scroll via the user interface through a plurality ofpossible costumes and select one of the costumes by providing user inputvia the user interface. This selection may be by clicking on an iconassociated with desired one of the costumes or by otherwise selectingthe desired possible costume.

In some embodiments, a player may be able to use one of these differentcostumes in the team run described previously. In some embodiments, aleast some of the points acquired during a team run may be used toacquire new costumes. A costume may be provided as a skin.

In some embodiments, a costume may provide one or more bonus or no bonusat all. The bonus may be to provide a resource multiplier, a trophy orpoints multiplier and/or a protection or mask bonus. The mask bonus maybe a so-called Aku Aku mask bonus. These bonuses provided may be aproperty of the costume.

A resource multiplier bonus is a fixed percentage multiplier whichaffects the number of ingredients collected from ingredient crates foundin collection runs. In some embodiments, the bonuses may apply only toparticular ingredients. This means that one or more ingredients will bymultiplied when the associated costume is worn and one or more otheringredients will not be multiplied.

When players have a costume with a resource multiplier bonus and go on acollection run, particular resources will be multiplied by thispercentage. These bonuses do not change and are may be associated withthe rarity of a costume. A numbers of ingredients awarded at the end ofa level may be rounded upward.

In one example, a player goes for a collection run. At the costumeselection screen, the player selects a costume which has a multiplierbonus of 80% for a particular ingredient obtained by smashing aparticular type of crate. Each time the particular crate is smashed onthat run, that ingredient number is multiplied by 1.8 (100%+80% (costumebonus)).

In other embodiments, the multiplier may be applied to all collectedingredients.

Different costumes may be associated with different multipliers.

A trophy or points multiplier bonus is a fixed percentage multiplierwhich affects the number of trophies or points awarded. This may beassociated with battle runs. This bonus applied by a particular costumewill be dependent on the boss. For example, a particular costume willprovide the trophy or points multiplier when a particular boss or enemyis battled. The points or trophies obtained from one or more ofdefeating the boss, from the weapon-throwing minigame and picked up fromtrophy or points crates may be multiplied.

A given costume may provide the trophy or points multiplier for one ormore different boss types. This bonus may not be provided elsewhere. Thenumbers of trophies or points awarded at the end of a level may berounded upwards.

In one example, a player goes for a battle run. At the costume selectionscreen, the player selects a costume which has a multiplier bonus of 40%for a particular boss or enemy. When that bass has been defeated, thebase number of points or trophies is multiplied by 1.4 (100%+40%(costume bonus)). The player may alternatively or additionally receive anumber of trophies or points (based on minigame performance) when theyuse their weapons. These points or trophies may be multiplied by 1.4(100%+40% (costume bonus)).

A mask bonus means that the player starts with either a normal or a goldmask at the start of a battle or collection run. A mask provides theplayer with protection. The gold mask provides more protection than anormal mask. Any crates associated with the mask picked up after thestart of the level behave the same way as usual. The mask is upgraded togold or if gold to invincibility level. If a player dies and is revived,they do not receive the mask bonus again. It only applies to the startof a run.

In one example, a player goes on a run. In the costume selection, theplayer selects a costume which provided the associated mask at thebeginning of the run.

Different rarities of costumes may provide different bonus multipliers.

In some embodiments, a player will be able to see the bonuses forcostumes. In this regard reference is made to FIG. 22b . This may bewhen the player is selecting a costume to potentially use or purchase inan in game store. Each costume may be provided with information whichindicates what if any trophy or points bonus is provided, what if anyresource bonus is provided, and what if any other bonus (for example themask bonus) is provided. In the example shown in FIG. 22b , the resourceinformation 711 a comprises information about the one or more resourcesto which the multiplier applies (if any) and the multiplier. The trophyor point information 711 b comprises information about the one or moreenemies (if any) to which the multiplier applies and the multiplier. Theother bonus information 711 c indicates if the mask bonus applies and ifso the level of the mask. As shown in FIG. 22b , the display iscontrolled to display a plurality of different costumes 713 b. Inresponse to user input selection selecting one of the options, theselected costume 713 a is displayed alongside the bonus informationassociated with that costume.

A costume may provide no bonuses or one or more different bonuses. Aresource bonus may be associated with one or more different resources. Apoints or trophy bonus may be associated with none or one or moredifferent bosses or enemies.

When players start a run, they can select a costume from a reel orrecommendation list of ‘recommended’ costumes or a menu of their entirecollection. The bonuses which that costume applies on that run areshown. Where a player has more than one character which they can use,their costumes and recommendations may be kept separate or combined. Inthis regard, reference is made to FIG. 22c . In this example, a playerhas two characters. The currently selected character 715 is shown infull with the recommended list 719 list of costumes. Information 718about the costume bonus for the currently selected costume is displayedon the display. The player is able to scroll through this list ofrecommended costumes. In some embodiments, this list may instead includeall the costumes of the character. Also displayed on the display is aselectable icon 717 for the player's other character. When user input isreceived to select this icon, the at least one processor is configuredto cause the currently selected character to change to the othercharacter. The costumes will be changed so as to be those costumesassociated with the other character.

At costume selection, players are presented a number of costume optionsin a reel or recommendation list.

Players may have a default costume. This may be presented as a currentlyselected option in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the costume options in the recommendation list haverelevance to the run. For a collection run, players are recommendedcostumes with an ingredient bonus for the ingredients in that run. For abattle run, players are recommended costumes with a trophy bonus for theboss type in that run.

There may be a maximum of currently-owned costumes that are suggested.This may be 4. This number is by way of example only. There may be amaximum of ‘for sale’ costumes that are suggested after the ownedcostumes. This may be 5. This number is by way of example only.

The frames of costumes in the recommendation list may reflect theirrarity or the size of the multiplier. For example, those provided in therecommendation list may reflect the larger multipliers.

The remaining costumes are accessible to players in a menu where theycan view and select any of the costumes which they have collected.

If a players is looking at the costumes associated with a character andthere is a costume associated with another character of the player whichwould apply bonuses in the current run information indicating this maybe displayed on the display. For example, an “!” over the head of theother character may be displayed.

In some embodiments, the recommendation list may show owned costumeshaving a bonus for at least one of the ingredients in the collectionrun. If the player has two costumes which give bonuses for the sameingredient, only the costume with the higher % bonus for that ingredientmay be shown (for example a costume with a 40% Glow Bark bonuseliminates a costume with a 20% Glow Bark bonus). Players are notsuggested costumes that they own which have a lower bonus (e.g. 20%) foran ingredient than another that they also own (e.g. 40%) that boosts thesame ingredient

If there are two costumes with the same % bonus to the same ingredient,the costume with the higher Aku Aku mask bonus is selected for therecommendation list.

If there is no difference between the % bonus and the Aku Aku maskbonus, the suggested costume is the one more recently acquired.

Costumes in the recommendation list may be are ordered based on,firstly, their rarity and, secondly, the number of occurrences of theingredient that they boost currently available on that collection run(e.g. a costume boosting nitric fungus on a collection run with 8 nitricfungus crates left and 4 glow bark crates left outranks a costumeboosting glow bark).

‘For sale’ costumes suggested in the recommendation list for thecollection runs have a bonus for at least one of the ingredients in therun and are currently on rotation at the store.

All Costumes currently on rotation at the store which provide a bonus toingredients on the current collection run are shown in therecommendation list.

Unlike owned costumes, where only the costume with the highest bonus foran ingredient is shown, ‘for sale’ costumes that boost ingredients atdifferent percentages may be shown (e.g. a player could be recommendedan epic costume that boosts glow bark by 40% and a rare costume thatboosts glow bark by 20%).

Owned costumes may be ordered based on, firstly, their rarity and,secondly, the number of occurrences of the ingredient that they boostcurrently available on that collection run (i.e. a costume boostingnitric fungus on a collection run with 8 nitric fungus crates left and 4glow bark crates left outranks a costume boosting glow bark).

Owned costumes suggested in the battle run recommendation list have atrophy bonus for the boss type in the run.

In some embodiments, only one owned costume is suggested to aplayer—that with the highest relevant boss type bonus and the highestAku Aku mask bonus.

If the player has two costumes which provide bonuses for the same bosstype, only the costume with the higher % bonus to that boss type isshown (i.e. a costume with a 40% nitro type bonus eliminates a costumewith a 20% nitro type bonus). If there is a costume which provides ahigher ranked Aku Aku mask bonus, both are shown (e.g. a 40% nitro typebonus with no Aku Aku mask and a 20% nitro type bonus with a base AkuAku mask would both be shown)

If there are two Costumes with the same % bonus for the same boss type,the costume with the higher Aku Aku mask bonus is selected

If there is no differentiation between % bonus and Aku Aku mask bonus,the suggested costume is the one more recently acquired.

‘For sale’ costumes suggested in the recommendation list for the battlerun may have a bonus for the enemy in the battle run and currently onrotation at the store.

In the runner part of the game, the costume that's shown in the firstslot in the costume reel is the player's current costume or “profilecostume”. The costume reel is populated with 1: the default costume, 2:recommended costumes, 3: costume that are available to purchase. In someembodiments, no more than 10 costumes should be shown in the costumereel. This number is by way of example only.

When a purchasable costume is selected in the costume reel, it triggersa button swap; The “RUN!” button is swapped with the “PREVIEW” button.Tapping the PREVIEW button triggers the costume overview. This is shownin FIG. 22d . The costume referenced 721 has been selected by userinput. In response, the at least one processor is configured to causethe preview button 723 to be displayed.

Tapping a costume button triggers the costume selection menu. Thisoption contains two sections; 1: “recommended costumes”, 2: morecostumes”. The “recommended” costumes are tied to the costume's bonusesas discussed previously. The costume which is selected overwrites thefirst slot in the costume reel, making it the runner's default costume.This can be done over and over again. The character will wear thecostume that is selected in the reel when the player taps “RUN!”.

A ‘!’ or similar notification may appear on the costume button whenthere are more recommended costumes available. The ‘!’ or similarnotification may be provided on the character switcher when the othercharacter has costumes providing a bonus as well.

During runs, the multipliers of players' costumes may not changegameplay—other than the masks provided at the start of a run. However,the effect of the multiplier can be seen on the ingredients or thetrophy or points counter which appear when a crate is collected. Foringredients/trophies that are boosted, an icon, when it appears may havea glow behind may be provided or any other suitable indication. In someembodiments, the glow may correspond in colour to the rarity of thecostume which is providing a bonus to that resource or to the trophiesbeing collected.

At the end of a run, players will see the resources or trophies whichthey have collected, prior to multipliers being applied followed by aneffect which applies the multiplier. For example, the words “costumebonus” could appear over the resources which were multiplied and a newnumber (the base number multiplied by the costume bonus) will remain.This may be in a different colour.

Players may be able to obtain costumes from various places in the gameand/or by buying them in the in game store, buying them through offersor acquiring them in a battle pass. The player may be able to obtain acostume by defeating bosses in battle runs, completing time trialsand/or by completing challenge runs. Costumes may be provided after aset of criteria is reached. For example, this may mean a certain numberof power gems attained will grant a costume or a certain combination oftime trial relics or challenge run jewels. When the criteria for acostume is reached, a popup displaying the costume may be presented toplayers as soon as they return from core gameplay. The newly acquiredcostume may be displayed on the when the player return to base.

Reference is made to FIGS. 23a to 23c which show various screens from abattle run. In a battle run, there may be at least a part of the battlerun which is similar or the same as a collection run. This is shown InFIG. 23a . The character 712 can run and collect resources 714. There isno interaction with the enemy in this part of the battle run. This maybe the beginning part of the battle run.

In FIG. 23b , the character 712 is still able to run and collectresources 714. However, at least one processor causes the display todisplay one or more visual indications 716 are provided to indicate tothe player that they are about to enter the zone in which they willencounter the enemy. However, in FIG. 23b , the character is not yet inthat zone.

In FIG. 23c , the character 712 has entered the battle zone. In thebattle zone, the character may be able to use one or more weaponsagainst the enemy, in response to user input received via the userinterface. In some embodiments, the at least one processor determines ifthe character has got within a certain distance of the enemy and inresponse to the determination, the character is able to use one or moreweapons against the enemy. If the at least one processor determines thatthe character has not got within a certain distance of the enemy, thecharacter is unable to use one or more weapons against the enemy.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor is configured to causethe enemy to use one or more weapons against the character. In someembodiments, the at least one processor is configured to cause the enemyto use one or more weapons against the character before the character isable to use one or more weapons against the enemy.

In some embodiments, when in the battle zone, the character has to dodgeattacks from the enemy. The character may be able to dodge attacks fromthe enemy by moving between lanes. This is controlled by the at leastone processor is in response to the user input received via the userinterface.

In some embodiments, if a character is able to hit the enemy at aparticular time, the at least one processor causes the player to earn areward. This may be considered as a reward for a skill shot. If thecharacter hits the enemy with ammunition or with a weapon at theparticular time, the player may be awarded extra points and/or extradamage may inflict on the enemy.

As mentioned previously, different bosses or enemies may have differentpowers or levels. This may mean that an enemy at a higher level may beharder to defeat than an enemy at a lower level. For example an enemy ata lower level may be hit at any time by the character, once thecharacter is in range of the enemy. A higher level enemy may have aforcefield. When the forcefield is up, any attacks from the characterwill bounce off the force field. However, the forcefield will lower atcertain times allowing the character to attack. The at least oneprocessor may be configured to determine when an attack is made by acharacter if the force field is up. In response to determining that theforce field is up, the at least one processor is configured to determinethat the enemy is not damaged. In response to determining that the forcefield is not up, the at least one processor is configured to determinethat the enemy is damaged and by how much.

In some embodiments, when an enemy is at a lower health, the attacksprovided by that enemy may speed up. The health of an enemy willdecrease in response to successful attacks on the enemy by thecharacter. When an attack is made, the at least processor is configuredto update the health of the enemy. When the health is below a thresholdlevel, the enemy is defeated.

In some embodiments, the player will be able to battle with the enemy atthe end of the battle run. If the at least one processor determines thatthe enemy has been defeated by the player, the at least one processor isconfigured to provide the player with a game reward. The at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause the character to return to thebase. In the event that the player is unsuccessful, the at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause the character to returned to thebase or the player may be able to replay at least a part of the battlerun, This replaying may require the payment of in game currency in someembodiments, the watching of an advertisement, the satisfying of one ormore game criteria and/or the use of one or more of one or moreresource, one or more items and one or more reward items. This may be aspreviously described.

Reference is made to FIG. 24 which schematically shows an enemy 730.

The at least one processor may be configured to cause the enemy maythrow larger shots 732 at the character 734. The effect of the largershots may be dependent on the enemy. If the character collides with thelarger shot, at least one processor may be configured to cause thebehaviour of the character may be altered and/or the character may losea life. For example, the character may move more quickly and becomeharder to control. This may make the character more likely to hit anobstacle.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configured tocause the enemy to alternatively or additionally throw smaller shots736. The smaller shots may vary in in speed. The character may be ablejump over and/or slide under the shots. This may be an alternative tomoving to a different lane. The smaller shots may explode if they hitlarger obstacles 738. The smaller shots may smash crates.

In some embodiments, a mini game may be triggered to attack an enemy.This mini game may be triggered when the enemy is about to be defeated,in some embodiments. An example of a mini game is shown in FIG. 25.

In this mini game, the character 722 is about to throw serum 720 at theenemy. A scale 724 is provided on the screen. A marker 726 moves up anddown the scale. The marker is stopped from moving when the user taps theuser interface. The point at which the marker stops on the scale willdetermine what if any reward the user is provided. In some embodiments,the user is provided with costume points and/or extra points. In someembodiments, costume points may be used to purchase a costume such asdescribed in relation to FIG. 22 a.

In some embodiments, at least one processor may be configured to use thepoint at which the marker stops on the scale to determine the strengthof the attack on the enemy.

In some embodiments, the reward provided may comprise a reward for thegroup or clan of players to which the player belongs.

In some embodiments, the player may be provided with two or moredifferent rewards for playing mini game. One or more rewards may be forthe player and one or more reward may be for the clan or group ofplayers to which the player belongs.

It should be appreciated that different mini games may be associatedwith different enemies or different types of enemy.

Reference is made to FIG. 18. In this arrangement, the at least oneprocessor may be configured to cause the character to throw an object700 at an obstacle in response to user input received via the userinterface to control the character. This object may be any suitableobject. This object may act as a missile. In some embodiments, thisobject may be referred to as boom berry. When the object is thrownagainst the obstacle, the at least one processor is configured todetermine the action that that the object has with respect to theobstacle. For some obstacles, the obstacle will be removed, or theobject is forfeited. For some obstacles, the object may bounce off thatobstacle. The object may then return to the user to be reused by theuser against one or more other obstacles. The object may bounce off anobstacle in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, there may be a limit as the amount of times theobject can be used against obstacles. The at least one processor may beconfigured to determine the number of times the object has been used ora remaining number of times the object can be used. In response todetermining that the object has been used a threshold number of times ora remaining number of times the object can be used has reached athreshold number of times, the at least one processor may be configuredto remove the object from the collection run.

In other embodiments, there may be no limit as to the number of times,the object can be used against obstacles.

In some embodiments, the object may be associated with an amount ofpower. Each time the object is used, the power may be reduced. Whenthere is no power left, the object may be no longer usable. The at leastone processor may be configured to determine a remaining power or a usedpower each time the object has been used. In response to determiningthat the remaining power or a used power has reached a threshold, the atleast one processor may be configured to remove the object from thecollection run.

In some embodiments, the amount of power required to remove an obstaclemay be dependent on the obstacle. In other embodiments, a fixed amountof power may be required to remove an obstacle.

In some embodiments, the object may be removed from the game area,depending on the object which has been hit.

In some embodiments, the boom berry may move along a lane. This may bethe lane in which the character was located when the boom berry wasthrown.

In some embodiments, the boom berry may be thrown against an objectwhich breaks up when hit by boom berry. In some embodiments, after theboom berry has hit an object which is broken up, the boom berrycontinues along its path. If the boom berry hits one or more furtherobjects which break up when hit, then one or more of those furtherobjects may be broken up. The boom berry may continue until it hits anobject which causes the boom berry to break up or to bounce back to thecharacter. The at least one processor may be configured to control theboom berry in dependence on one or more obstacles in the lane of theboomberry.

In some embodiments, in order to complete a run, the player may berequired to use one of more of these objects. There may for example beone or more obstacles which have to be removed and which can only beremoved by one or more of these objects.

In some embodiments, one or more of these objects may be used against anenemy. For example, one or more of these objects may need to be usedagainst an enemy before an item is deployed against the enemy. In someembodiments, the enemy may not be defeated unless at least one of theseobjects is used in conjunction with one or more items.

One technical problem with playing games on a device with a limitedtouch screen area is the difficulty in supporting complexity in the gamewith a corresponding complexity of user input. This is illustrated inFIG. 19.

Consider the example of the runner game previously described. Thecharacter is controlled to move along a path. The path may be providedwith a number of different obstacles 608 and 610. The character may becontrolled to on one or more of: go around an obstacle; go through anobstacle: go over an obstacle: go under an obstacle; or to remove theobstacle.

A technical problem may arise, particular where the character iscontrolled by a user touching a touch screen of a limited size and wheretwo or more obstacles are relatively close together. For example, theuser input may control the character to perform a particular action todeal with one obstacle and the completion of that action may result inthe character being unable to successfully deal with the next obstacle.This action may be controlled by a first user input.

Consider the following scenario, a first user input is used to controlthe character to perform a slide to hit a first obstacle to remove thatobstacle. This starts at the point indicated by arrow 612. At the end ofthe slide the character may become upright again. This is indicated byarrow 614. If there is a further obstacle 610 close to the firstobstacle 608, the character may simply hit the obstacle when upright.This may result in the character losing a life or other game advantage.The user is in this scenario unable to control the character in time todeal with that second obstacle. This may depend on when the user startedthe slide.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the at least one processor isconfigured to determine that there is an adjacent second obstacle and toextend the length of the slide so that second obstacle can be dealt withby the same sliding action. The slide is only completed when the secondobstacle has been dealt with. Arrow 615 shows the point at which theslide is completed. The normal length of the slide will be the distancebetween arrows 612 and 614.

In some embodiments, instead of extending the length of the slide, thetime for the slide is extended. The slide time may be modifieddynamically after destroying an obstacle with the slide attack so that aplayer can hit two or more objects in a row with ease.

Reference is made to FIG. 20 which shows a method of some embodiments.

In step A1, the user interface is configured to receive a first userinput.

In step A2, the at least one processor is configured to determine thetype of movement which the character is to make based on this first userinput. This first user input may be associated with a default movement.The default movement may be associated with a default time for which themove is provided and/or a default distance covered by the movement. Thedefault movement provided may be dependent on the first user input.

In step A3, the at least one processor is configured to move thecharacter with the determined type of movement and to determine if thelength of the movement is to be extended from a default value. Thisdetermination if the length of movement is to be extended may be basedon one or more criteria being satisfied.

The determination may be dependent on a location of a subsequentobstacle or the like with respect to a first obstacle. The firstobstacle is encountered by the character after the determined type ofmovement is started.

In an alternative embodiment, the length of time for which the action isperformed is alternatively or additionally extended.

The movement provided by the input may be associated with a defaulttime. In some embodiments, the at least one processor may be configuredto determine the start of the movement. The at least one processor maybe configured to start a timer. The at least one processor may beconfigured to determine when the game entity encounters the firstobstacle. The processor may be configured to determine when the gameentity first encounters the first obstacle and/or when the game objecthas navigated the first obstacle.

The at least one processor may be configured to determine the remainingtime of the default time. Based on this remaining time, the at least oneprocessor is configured to determine if the default time is to beextended.

The default time may be extended if there is less than a thresholdamount of time remaining. This may be regardless of the presence orotherwise of a second obstacle.

In some embodiments, the default time may be extended if there is morethan a threshold amount of time remaining. This may be regardless of thepresence or otherwise of a second obstacle. If there is more than athreshold amount of time, this may be an indication that the user inputcaused a good movement. The user may be rewarded by an extension to themovement.

In some embodiments, there may be a second threshold such that defaulttime may be extended if the amount of time left is less than a firstthreshold but greater than a second threshold. If there is less than athreshold amount of time, this may be an indication that the user inputwas started too soon. The user may not be rewarded by an extension tothe movement in order to provide feedback to the user about the timingof the move.

In some embodiments, a determination may be made as to when the obstacleis first encountered. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if there is sufficient time remaining for the user to movebeyond the end of the obstacle. If is determined that there is notsufficient time remaining, the extended time may be used to allow thecharacter to move beyond the first obstacle.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may additionally takeinto account the presence of a second obstacle. For example, the atleast one processor may be configured to extend the default time of themovement if the remaining time of the default time is less than athreshold amount of time and the second obstacle is within a thresholdtime from or distance from the first obstacle

In this example, the movement is associated with a default time. Inother embodiments, the movement is associated with a default distance.It may be determined how far much of the default distance remains afterthe move has been started and the first obstacle encountered. Based onthis a decision may be made as to whether or not to use the extendedmovement. The at least one processor may be configured to determine theremaining distance of the default movement. Based on this remainingdistance, the at least one processor is configured to determine if thedefault movement is to be extended.

The default distance may be extended if there is less than a thresholdamount of distance remaining. This may be regardless of the presence orotherwise of a second obstacle.

In some embodiments, the default distance may be extended if there ismore than a threshold distance remaining. This may be regardless of thepresence or otherwise of a second obstacle. If there is more than athreshold distance, this may be an indication that the user input causeda good movement. The user may be rewarded by an extension to themovement.

In some embodiments, there may be a second threshold such that defaultdistance may be extended if the distance left is less than a firstthreshold but greater than a second threshold. If there is less than athreshold distance, this may be an indication that the user input wasstarted too soon. The user may not be rewarded by an extension to themovement in order to provide feedback to the user about the timing ofthe input to make a movement.

In some embodiments, a determination may be made as to when the obstacleis first encountered. The at least one processor may be configured todetermine if there is sufficient distance remaining for the user to movebeyond the end of the obstacle. If is determined that there is notsufficient distance remaining, the extended movement may be used toallow the character to move beyond the first obstacle.

In some embodiments, the at least one processor may additionally takeinto account the presence of a second obstacle. For example, the atleast one processor may be configured to extend the default distance ofthe movement if the remaining distance of the default movement is lessthan a threshold amount and the second obstacle is within a thresholddistance from the first obstacle,

In some embodiments the at least one processor is configured to useinformation about the default movement and information about the firstobstacle and one or more subsequent obstacles. Based on thisinformation, the at least one processor may make a determination whetheror not the default movement is to be changed to an extended defaultmovement.

In some embodiments the at least one processor is configured todetermine a distance between first obstacle and one or more subsequentobstacles. Based on this determination the at least one processor may beconfigured to determine if the default movement is to be changed to anextended default movement. The at least one processor may be configuredto determine that the character to move with the extended defaultmovement when the second obstacle is within a threshold distance of thefirst obstacle.

The information which is used by the at least one processor may bestored in the at least one memory. For example, the memory may storeinformation about the location of the obstacles and/or information aboutthe obstacles. In some embodiments, the determination about whether toextend the default movement may depend on the type of first and/orsubsequent obstacle.

If it is determined that the default distance for the movement or thedefault length of time for the movement is to be extended, then the nextstep is step A4 where the distance of the movement and/or the length oftime for the movement is extended. This movement may be extended by agiven distance and/or the time for the movement may be extended by agiven amount.

If it is determined that the default movement (is not to be extended,then the next step is step A5 where the default movement lasts for thedefault length and/or default time.

In some embodiments, by using an extended default movement instead of adefault movement, the character may avoid hitting or other interactingwith a second obstacle. That second obstacle may be relatively close tothe first obstacle.

The default movement and the extended default movement may be the sametype of movement.

The extended default movement may be dependent on information associatedwith the obstacles. For example, the amount by which the defaultmovement is extended may depend on how close the obstacles are and/orwhen the first input was received. In other embodiments example theamount by which the default movement is extended may fixed.

In some embodiments, instead of extending the default movement, thedefault movement may be reduced. This may for example allow the firstinput to cause the first obstacle to be navigated and enough time for asecond input to be received to allow the obstacle to navigated.

Some example embodiments may provide methods for introducing complexityinto computer implemented games. This may be particularly challengingwhen considering small screen devices, where complex game arrangementsmay be difficult to display due to the limitations imposed by thedevices in terms of processing capability and display size. By providingany of the abovementioned methods, some example embodiments may allowstrategic diversity in gameplay, and therefore introduce a further levelof complexity to the computer implemented game, without placing undueburden on processing or display requirements. As such, some embodimentsmay also drive user engagement with the computer implemented game bymaking the game more complex and challenging.

In the above described embodiments, reference has been made to acharacter being controlled. It should be appreciated that this is by wayof example only and in other embodiments, any object or game entity maybe controlled.

Various screens are described. The screens which are displayed arecontrolled by the at least one processor. The at least one processor maybe configured to update one or more screens based on informationreceived from a game server and/or based on a determination made by theat least on processor. The information received from a game server mayrelate to one or more other players or teams. The information receivedfrom a game server may control a season which is provided by the userdevice. The at least one processor may be configured to provide and/orcontrol one or more timers. The at least one processor may be configuredto cause the display to display time information associated with one ormore of the timers.

It should be appreciated that the user device is specifically configuredto provide the computer implemented game.

It should be appreciated that several of the embodiments have beendescribed in the context of a computer implemented game played on amobile device. However, it should be appreciated that other embodimentsmay be played on any other suitable computer device such as a computeconsole, a laptop or a desktop or gaming computer.

Various methods and devices have been described. It should beappreciated that these methods may be implemented in apparatus ordevices comprising any suitable circuitry. Some embodiments may beimplemented by at least one memory and at least one processor. Thememory is provided by memory circuitry and the processor is provided byprocessor circuitry. Some embodiments may be provided by a computerprogram running on the at least one processor. The computer program maycomprise computer implemented instructions which are stored in the atleast one memory and which may be run on the at least one processor. Acomputer program product may be provided which comprises computerprogram product comprising code embodied on a computer-readable mediumwhich is configured to be executed on a processor of the computer oruser device. In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readablestorage device may be provided to store program code instructions that,when executed by at least one processor causes any of the abovedescribed methods to be performed.

A person skilled in the art will realise that the different approachesto implementing the game is not exhaustive, what is described herein arecertain preferred embodiments. It is possible to implement the way in anumber of variations without departing from the scope of the inventionas claimed. Although the subject matter has been described in languagespecific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to beunderstood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

1. A computer device configured to provide a computer implemented game,the computer device comprising: a user interface configured to receive afirst user input to control movement of a game entity to move along apath in the computer implemented game; at least one memory configured tostore information about one or more obstacles in the path of thecomputer implemented game; at least one processor configured todetermine, based on the first received user input which is associatedwith a default movement of the game entity and information about atleast one of a first and a second obstacle on the path, that the gameentity is to move with an extended movement instead of the defaultmovement to allow both the first and second obstacles to be navigated inresponse to the first user input such that the game entity continues tomove along the path, the first obstacle being followed by the secondobstacle on the path; and a display configured to display the gameentity moving along the path with the extended movement determined bythe at least one processor.
 2. The computer device as claimed in claim1, wherein the at least one processor configured to determine that acriteria is satisfied based on the first received user input and theinformation about at least one of the first and the second obstacle onthe path, and when the criteria is satisfied the at least one processoris configured to cause the game entity to move with the extendedmovement.
 3. The computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedefault movement and the extended movement comprise a same type ofmovement.
 4. The computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedefault movement comprises a movement for a first length of time.
 5. Thecomputer device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least oneprocessor is configured to modify the default movement to extend a timefor which the default movement is performed from the first length oftime to a second length of time to provide the extended movement.
 6. Thecomputer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the default movementcomprises a type of movement for a first distance.
 7. The computerdevice as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one processor isconfigured to modify the default movement to extend a distance for whichthe default movement is performed from the first distance to a seconddistance to provide the extended movement.
 8. The computer device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the default movement comprises a firstmovement and the extended movement comprises a second, differentmovement.
 9. The computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thefirst user input is provided to navigate the first obstacle.
 10. Thecomputer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor is configured to determine that the second obstacle is withina threshold distance of the first obstacle and in response to determinethat the game entity is to move with the extended movement.
 11. Thecomputer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor is configured to determine from the first received user inputa start of the default movement and when the first obstacle isencountered by the game entity moving with the default movement, whendetermining that the game entity is to move with the extended movement.12. The computer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor is configured to determine a remaining part of the defaultmovement, the remaining part of the default movement being a part of themovement after the first obstacle is encountered by the game entitymoving with the default movement, the at least on processor beingconfigured use the determined remaining part when determining that thegame entity is to move with the extended movement.
 13. The computerdevice as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one processor isconfigured to determine that the game entity is to move with an extendedmovement when the determined remaining part of the default movement isless than a threshold amount.
 14. The computer device as claimed inclaim 12, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determinethat the game entity is to move with an extended movement when thedetermined remaining part of the default movement is less than athreshold amount and the second obstacle is within a threshold distanceof the first obstacle.
 15. The computer device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that thedefault movement would cause the game entity to fail to navigate thesecond obstacle and in response to determine that the game entity is tomove with the extended movement.
 16. The computer device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control thegame entity to move with the extended movement, the extended movementcomprising sliding along the path.
 17. The computer device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the default movement comprises one of removing thefirst obstacle, navigating around the first obstacle, navigating overthe first obstacle, navigating through the first obstacle, or navigateunder the first obstacle.
 18. The computer device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the computer implemented game comprises a runner game or arunner game with resource management.
 19. A computer implemented methodprovided by a computer device configured to provide a computerimplemented game, the computer device comprising a user interface, atlast one processor, a display and at least one memory which areconfigured to provide the method which comprise: receiving a first userinput, via the user interface of the computer device, to controlmovement of a game entity to move along a path in the computerimplemented game; storing, by the at least one memory of the computerdevice, information about one or more obstacles in the path of thecomputer implemented game; determining, by the at least one processor ofthe computer device, based on the first received user input which isassociated with a default movement of the game entity and informationabout at least one of a first and a second obstacle on the path, thatthe game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of thedefault movement to allow both the first and second obstacles to benavigated in response to the first user input such that the game entitycontinues to move along the path, the first obstacle being followed bythe second obstacle on the path; and displaying, by the display, thegame entity moving along the path with the extended movement determinedby the at least one processor.
 20. The computer method as claimed inclaim 19, comprising determining, by the at least one processor, that acriteria is satisfied based on the first received user input and theinformation about at least one of the first and the second obstacle onthe path, and when the criteria is satisfied, causing, by the at leastone processor, the game entity to move with the extended movement.
 21. Anon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerexecutable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor ofa computer device causes the computer device to be configured to providea computer implemented game and provide the method of: receiving a firstuser input, via a user interface of the computer device, to controlmovement of a game entity to move along a path in the computerimplemented game; storing, by at least one memory of the computerdevice, information about one or more obstacles in the path of thecomputer implemented game; determining, by the at least one processor ofthe computer device, based on the first received user input which isassociated with a default movement of the game entity and informationabout at least one of a first and a second obstacle on the path, thatthe game entity is to move with an extended movement instead of thedefault movement to allow both the first and second obstacles to benavigated in response to the first user input such that the game entitycontinues to move along the path, the first obstacle being followed bythe second obstacle on the path; and displaying, by a display of thecomputer device, the game entity moving along the path with the extendedmovement determined by the at least one processor.